Song of the Spheres 5: Something to Live For
by elensari
Summary: After running for so many years, and always finding people or causes he could die for; Rose thinks the Universe has finally given her Doctor something to live for. What she doesn't realise yet, is no matter how dark it gets or how many bumps there are in the road-with a hand to hold, there's always something worth living for.
1. The Nicest Places

**1 The _Nicest_ Places**

"The TARDIS seems a bit tetchy this morning," Donna observes as she enters the Console room, somehow managing to maintain a level grip on her coffee cup despite the pitching of the floor.

"She's been acting a bit strange this past month, ever since I got the helmic regulator fixed," the Doctor replies, focused on making adjustments to the instruments.

"Landing us underwater on that ice moon, while amazing, was a bit odd. And that spaceship falling into a sentient sun that could possess anyone who looked at it—not fun," Rose points out with a pained expression "Do you think we should stop by the Rift? Maybe She needs to balance some doodad, or a power boost would help align the inclusions or…something," she rattles off from where she's strapped to the jump seat, still looking slightly put out by being restrained.

Dougie and Jack are helping the Doctor pilot, but mostly everyone is just hanging on as traveling through the Vortex feels a bit like the pitching waves of a stormy ocean.

"Rose! You're brilliant! That's exactly where we'll go as soon as we do whatever it is that the TARDIS wants us to do…wherever it is…we're going to do…it…yup, doing something," the Doctor says, sounding just as unsure as everyone feels about the mystery tour.

"If we don't land soon, my toast might not stay where I put it," Rose gasps.

Glancing over his shoulder with a sympathetic look to his wife, the Doctor attempts to sooth her telepathically. He gets an annoyed flash of reddish aggravation from her instead.

_-I'd feel better if I was doing something and not strapped down like a delicate teacup!-_ she fumes.

_-Rooooose, it's for you and the baby's protection. It would do neither one of you any good to get tossed around and hurt.-_

"Wherever we're going, we'll be there soon," the Doctor tells them, looking at the monitor. He'd left the choice of destination up to the TARDIS today. It hadn't occurred to him, that She would have a hard time getting them wherever She wanted to go. The space time symbols were almost aligned, though, so wherever "there" was about to be, they'd find out momentarily.

Considering how much tossing the TARDIS had done in flight, Her landing was surprisingly gentle. Rose thanked Her for that, as she finally slapped the release for her harness and shakily got to her feet.

"Oi, I am glad that's over," she says, straightening her dress and smoothing her hair.

"Right, I nearly spilt my coffee twice," Donna says as she swallows the last of it. It never stopped amazing Rose that no matter how bumpy things got, Donna was always solid, like she was born on the sea or something.

"How do you do that, Donna? I'd have been wearing the entire cup with the first jolt."

"Many years of practise moving through busy offices havin' to avoid all sorts of idiots. Bein' the best temp ever is more than just typin' a million words a minute. It's also being able to navigate any and all situations while _never_ dropping a cup of coffee," she answers Rose's query with a self-satisfied grin.

"Well, you must have been a sailing ship captain in your last life with sea legs like that. I think I'm jealous," Rose teases her, grinning.

"Maybe. I like that—Captain Donna, scourge of the high seas!" she replies, laughing.

Stepping from the TARDIS they find themselves in a tunnel of some sort, littered with piles of semi-organised debris. The walls and ceiling curve away on all sides and appear to be made from some sort of brick with cabling running along the edges—definitely a higher level of technology by the looks of the stacks of materials and equipment laying around.

"You take us to the _nicest_ places, Doc," Jack quips, looking around at the mess.

The Doctor snorts in amusement at Jack as he and Rose move hand in hand further into the area. Rose moves a little ahead of the Doctor looking at a pallet of what appears to be food replicator parts when he gets distracted by something interesting as well. All five of them are filtering in amongst the crates, pallets, and piles when they hear steps running their way.

"Stop! Hands up!" a young soldier shouts as he moves determinedly towards them, gun raised, followed by two of his mates. Moving quickly to Rose's side with his hands up, the Doctor steps in front of them.

"Look, hands up. No weapons. Never any weapons, us," he tells them earnestly. Everyone has their hands raised turning them back and forth, showing the three young men that there are definitely no weapons in them.

"Look at their hands," one young man says, astonishment plan on his face. "They're clean."

"How can they be clean? Where'd they come from then?" another asks.

"I don't know, and I don't care. Take them!" The first young man who must be their leader orders as he steps forward grabbing the Doctor with his gun still raised. The other two move past to round up Rose, Jack, and the others. Once they're all covered under the soldiers weapons, the one in charge drags the Doctor down the tunnel toward a large ugly device squatting on the floor. He shoves his arm in it up to the armpit, despite the Doctor's many protestations of coming in peace and meaning no harm.

Rose steps forward protectively as the Doctor cries out in obvious discomfort, but is tossed back toward her friends by one of the soldiers.

"Let him go! What are you doing to him?" she cries out, once Dougie sets her back on her feet.

"It just took a tissue sample. Must be some sort of extrapolator. Ow! And another one…what's it extrapolating?" the Doctor ponders aloud in the midst of the process. The machine finally belches him out, and as he stumbles back from it, Rose rushes forward grabbing his injured hand. It now has two scrapes across the top of it that still ooze a bit of his blood.

Donna moves up to Rose's side as Dougie and Jack spread out a bit, trying to watch the soldiers and their friends all at the same time.

"What could be the point of the device, Doctor?" Dougie asks, glancing at the back of his hand, but the Doctor's potential answer is cut off as a nearby machine winds up and begins fuming smoke and emitting a blue light. Suddenly a pair of doors open and as the smoke clears a fit young woman steps forward. She's a little taller than Rose with blond hair and bright dark eyes. She looks around herself without a shred of awkwardness, like she owns the place. The leader of the three soldiers walks directly to her and hands her one of the giant guns telling her to familiarise herself with it.

"Who the hell is that? Donna asks sharply, looking at the young lady sceptically.

The Doctor and Rose on the other hand are staring at her. Awestruck for Rose's part, and with a healthy layer of distaste on the Doctors'.

"Progenation," the Doctor says quietly, in explanation. Looking back down at the wounds on his hand, he flashes back to a scene between he and Rose just that morning in the kitchen.

* * *

"Come on, you blasted thing," the Doctor says bitterly to the recalcitrant jam jar in his hand.

He'd finished the marmalade yesterday and had spent most of the night excited at the prospect of a fresh jar of razzleberry preserves they'd picked up on the recent shopping trip, but he can't get it open. Superior Time Lord strength, and the jar is mocking him.

"What's wrong, luv?" Rose asks as she walks in, still fluffing her freshly washed hair.

"The jar is mocking me, Rose," the Doctor replies petulantly.

"Do you want me to try?" she asks, grinning at him.

"**No**, I don't want you to _try_. I can get this." With a herculean effort, the Doctor lets out a satisfied HA! followed immediately by a yowl of pain as the back of his hand holding the lid slams into the cabinet edge from the force he'd been exerting. Dropping the lid to the counter indignantly, he stuffs both fingers into the jam in retaliation. As if the jar cares how he eats it.

"Doctor! Spoon!" Rose laughs at him, trying to recover from the hilarity of the situation. Stepping up to him, she grabs his hand as he's pulling it from the jar, two fingers laden with deep purple jam. Stilling at her touch, he watches wide-eyed as Rose slips his jam covered fingers slowly into her open mouth, watching his face the entire time.

"Guh" Is all the Doctor can say as she slowly removes his fingers from her mouth, making certain her quick little tongue catches all the jam, and humming her appreciation of the tastiness as she does so. With a satisfied smacking of lips, she swallows the jam, grinning at him again with her tongue caught in her teeth.

"You're right, jam is better that way," she teases him. She's pretty sure he's blushing from the roots of his perfectly askew hair, to the soles of his feet, which was entirely her intention. "Now let's have a look at that hand," she says turning it over, and seeing the dent the cabinet had made and a slight purpling. He'd actually hit it hard enough to get a bruise; that _was_ impressive.

"Oh, I bet that hurt," she says with sincere concern. Bringing the back of his hand to her mouth she breathes over it lightly before gingerly pressing her lips to the bruise. "There, all better!" she exclaims, beaming at him and dropping his hand unceremoniously.

He attempts to use reestablish the connection, hoping to pull her to him, but laughingly she dances away.

"Oh, no! That's for the shower this morning, you frustrating git!" Shrieking in delight, she runs around the other side of the table as he lunges for her.

"Come 'ere; you must need a Doctor, Rose Tyler," he teases her back, trying to catch her against the table and snog her senseless. They're interrupted by Jack, Donna, and Dougie entering the galley to make breakfast before they start their day.

* * *

He's gazing steadily at his hand—"_the hand"—_when Donna swats him, asking what the hell progenation is.

"Reproduction from a single organism. It takes the diploids and turns them into haploids, then recombines them in a different range to grow…quite rapidly, too…a new organism," he explains, staring at the young woman. Meeting Rose's eyes, he sees her understanding of what he isn't saying.

"Spaceman, are you trying to tell me they made her…from you?"

"Yes. She's my…_our_ daughter," he says quietly, feeling Rose stiffen beside him.

"Hi Dad, Mum!" she says brightly, blinking happily at them while holding a truly enormous gun.

Rose is just about to say something when they hear more movement. Another group of soldiers is heading their way from the direction of the TARDIS.

"It's the Hath," the young man yells. "Take positions." The young soldiers and the newly formed woman step up to a makeshift barricade as they begin firing toward the oncoming assailants. As the bullets begin to fly, the Doctor tells the rest of them to get down.

_Why do they always have to shoot first?_ he thinks in frustration. Crouching down and attempting to hide from the ricocheting bullets, the group gets somewhat separated. Looking around for Rose and the others, he see's her behind some crates to his left, Donna and Jack under a partially fallen beam, and Dougie crouching beside him looking around for a place to run. Neither Dougie nor the Doctor notice the Hath that have come up silently from the rear.

Being grabbed from behind by the Hath, the Doctor and Dougie are pulled toward the direction they had originally come from. With a distracting shout from the Doctor, the soldiers turn and are nearly overrun by the remaining Hath, two of the young men falling to the hail of bullets.

Grabbing Rose and herding Donna and Jack with them, the leader of the soldiers begins dragging them further down the hallway—away from the Doctor and Dougie. Yelling at the girl to grab the detonator, he continues trying to push Rose and the others away.

Rose can hear the Doctor yelling to be let go and no to the detonating as he's being dragged away by the Hath. Reaching for him telepathically, she feels how worried he is for her. She tries to tell him she's alright when an explosion roars out, nearly deafening them all. When they're able to look around, Rose sees the tunnel has been sealed off, and peering through the settling dust, she notices Dougie is missing, too. So Dougie and the Doctor are on the other side of an impenetrable wall surrounded by hostile aliens. At least the cave-in buried the machine that had used the Doctor's genetic material. Hopefully that would keep them from being able to use it again. Rose can imagine that the Doctor will NOT be okay with these people making more…of whatever she is from him.

"What have you done?" Rose asks the soldiers dangerously, her eyes glinting gold.

"I'd thought you'd be happy, Mum; Cline lost _both_ his men," the young woman says with a shrug.

"Come on. I'm taking you all to General Cobb. He'll know what to do, and you need to be processed. With so many of you clean, we can progenate an entire platoon from ya, come morning cycle," he says with a smile. He seriously thinks they should be happy about this.

"But we can't leave our friends," Jack says earnestly. "We have to rescue them from the Hath."

"That's impossible. Now go on, that way," Cline tells them, gesturing with his chin down the tunnel and raising his gun to remind them he still has it. "And welcome to Messaline." Following the young woman, the three unwilling prisoners head out. Cline follows behind keeping an eye out for more Hath.

* * *

**A/N: Hello! Here's the first chapter in my new story, Something to Live For. Obviously, we've started right off on Messaline. We know how that one ends up, but I wanted to reinterpret it if Genny was left with Rose instead of the Doctor, and I like my ending better. -grin-**

**I have borrowed dialog where it was too good to not use, though of course I own nothing from Dr. Who or the BBC. I just tinker with it. :-)**

**I have decided to call our girl, Genny from Genetic Anomaly. I just think it looks more interesting.**

**Please enjoy. This will be another long fic. I'm working on double digit chapters as I write this. :-) Many thanks to the most patient and brilliant Beta, Ashlanielle. **

**Looking forward to hearing your thoughts. Thanks so much! Cheers!**


	2. The Irony of Names

**2 The Irony of Names**

_-Rose!-_ She almost stumbles when the Doctor reaches for her. Managing to keep her feet, Rose allows a knot that was forming in her stomach to loosen a bit at his familiar mental touch.

_-I'm here. They're taking us to their leader, some General Cobb. Are you and Dougie alright?-_

_-Yeah, we're good, but one of the Hath that took us was crushed in the debris and the other may have dislocated his shoulder. Dougie is looking after him now. The Hath are very interesting, breathing and apparently speaking through some sort of filtered liquid apparatus and they have gills! Gills, Rose! They aren't telepathic at all, tried that already. I wonder…-_

_-Doctor! Do you think you can get back to us? Are they dangerous?-_

_-I don't know-_ She can see him in her mind's eye rub the back of his neck as he's thinking.

_-Dougie is about to realign the Hath's shoulder, and more are coming. They have guns!-_

_-Doctor?- _

She can feel he's still fine, but he's obviously focused on trying to diffuse the situation. Refocusing on the tunnel that her and the rest of her party are traipsing through, she sees Donna and Jack are talking to the girl…her _daughter_?

Suddenly Rose understands why the Doctor had been so focused on his hand when he was explaining about progenation to Donna. It was the same hand he'd smacked earlier and she'd kissed. The young woman was more than just made from the Doctor; she had actually been made from _both_ their genetics, not just the Doctor's. _So she really is _**_their_**_ daughter_, Rose thinks to herself.

"So what's _your_ name, beautiful?" Jack asks her, grinning. Donna swats him for flirting, but still looks at the young woman, curious for the answer.

"I haven't been assigned one yet," she says, happily marching along.

"What? They teach you about guns and fighting, but they don't give you a name?" Donna asks, taken aback.

"All necessary information was probably downloaded into her brain when she was made, but that didn't include a name, I guess," Rose says, trying to work out the reasoning.

"But that box back there made you from them, so you're like a…a… What do you call a female Time Lord…a Time Lady?" Donna asks.

"What's a Time Lord?" the young woman asks.

"The Doctor and I are Time Lords….er… your Dad, that is. We aren't human. It was his hand that they put into that machine, that made you. He thinks part of me was there, too. Some of my DNA was probably…on that hand...you see." Rose blushes pink as she's explaining, much to Jack's amusement. She can tell he's about to say something rude, so she beats him to it.

"I'd kissed it earlier when he smacked it on a cupboard. You know, to make it feel better," Rose says, rolling her eyes in frustration.

"I'm sure it made him feel better, Rosie. No wonder you two looked all flustered when we came in," Jack says with his wide knowing grin. Rose sort of wants to smack it off his face at the moment though, feeling out of sorts with all the challenges tossed their way in such a short time.

"What does that make her, then?" Donna asks, ignoring her man's incorrigible behaviour and nodding toward the young lady.

"I don't know. I don't know as much as the Doctor would about how that machine might work. I have no idea how it would replicate our genetic structure, it isn't human—too many strands. She may be some sort of genetic anomaly or a unique amalgamation of human and Time Lord. I just don't know, Donna."

"Well, genetic anomaly is about as personal as a number. Genetic…hmmm, how about Genny, then? Do you like that?" Donna asks, turning to the woman beside her with a smile.

"I do. I like it very much. Thank you. I'm Genny!" she says enthusiastically to the group. Her charm is infectious and they all return her grin, even Cline who's leading up the rear.

"I'm Donna. This plum is Jack, and your mum's name is Rose," Donna tells her, pointing each person out. "Obviously they downloaded Cline's name into your head, and back at the tunnel, the Doctor, your Dad, and Dougie were taken by the Hath. We'll get them back, don't…" Donna trails off as they enter a large open space that looks like a theatre, but is being used by the inhabitants as a military staging area instead of the lighthearted one it was obviously intended for.

The theatre is a warren of paths and orderly stacks of materials and supplies. It's a beehive of furious activity. Everywhere they look young men and women are preparing for a war. Looking around at all the bustling action, Rose knows this would bother the Doctor to no end. Purposeful destruction is the quickest way to get on his bad side. About to make a comment, she sees the only older person she's noticed all day headed their way. He appears to be about 60, and with his cold eyes and tight cruel mouth, Rose knows he's the one responsible for the current level of preparedness.

He's also eyeing them up as he approaches. "There was a pacifist group lost to the east sector a few generations back. Are you part of that then?" Cobb asks brusquely, without preamble or introductions.

"Umm, sure the eastern sector, that's us," Jack states with a friendly smile. He moves to the front of the group hoping his more military look will get them farther with these people. Although, already being thought of as pacifists will probably not help. "We…uhh, decided to go exploring. Got bored with their propaganda." Donna kicks his heel in annoyance, but he's still putting on his best 'win over the brass' grin.

"Right, so two of your friends were captured by the Hath. I'm sorry for your loss. With your help will can avenge them when we win this war," Cobb states matter-of-factly.

"But why are you even fighting this war?" Rose asks. There's something just not right, and she's determined to figure it out. Understanding what's happening could be her only way of rescuing the Doctor and Dougie.

"It's either the Hath or us. They want to win as badly as we do. We are committed to fighting and committed to winning this war. When we find the Source, there will be Peace," Cobb says reverently.

"The Source?" Rose ask, confused.

"Yes, it's said that the Source will bring the Breath of Life to the planet, and She will bring Peace and Light to all who follow. But we were attacked by the Hath, and we lost the Temple when the War started," Cobb finishes, bringing them to a map projected onto a screen.

"Riiight, well I like the part about it being a woman, but it sounds like another creation myth to me," Donna says with a knowing nod as she crosses her arms.

"You mean that's not real?" Genny asks her quietly as Rose and Jack focus on the map with the General.

"Well, as real as anything else here is, I guess," Donna replies as she begins heading out into the room a bit more.

"So these are the tunnels? Does it show the Hath tunnels as well?" Rose asks, gesturing at the grid.

"Yes."

"Great! Then we'll know where to start looking for the Doctor. Oi! Jack, did you see that?" Rose exclaims when the screen glitches for a moment.

"The glitch in the screen?" he asks her, already looking around the console.

"Yeah, I think there's another layer to the map, can you get it?"

"I'll try, Rosie," Jack answers as he starts typing furiously into the keyboard. That isn't having an effect and soon he's under the console digging in the wiring.

"Why are we underground?" Donna asks, continuing to move a little away from the group by the map. Cobb gives her the creeps. Cline stays nearby though, with Genny.

"The surface is uninhabitable," Cline answers, but it sounds like the pat answer he's supposed to repeat, not like he's actually been outside.

"Really, is that right?" Donna says sarcastically. "Well, then why are there windows? You don't exactly need windows if you're only ever staying underground. And look, there's another one of these numbers. This one ends in 18, the one back by the progenitor ended in 17," Donna muses. Her thoughts are broken off by Jack's successful exclamation. She turns to see a much more expanded map now displayed on the screen.

"I don't know what I did, but it started working!" Jack says happily as he gets back to his feet, brushing off his knees.

"The Temple. You found it for us. And look, we're much closer than the Hath. We can get there first!" The sick glee in Cobb's voice unnerves Rose, but not as much as his next statement. "As soon as the morning cycle begins, we'll use you three to begin making new soldiers," Cobb states with grim satisfaction and a wave of anger builds inside Rose.

"You will **not** be using us to make more soldiers, Cobb. We are uninterested in your little war, but I am very interested in getting my husband and friend back. I _will_ find a way to them, believe me," Rose says, getting right into Cobb's face with determination. The action pulls a flicker of amusement in his eyes, and Rose tries another angle. "You don't want to keep doing this. This war is wrong. You spoke of peace earlier. Why don't you make peace with the Hath?" Rose asks Cobb, pleading with him now to see reason. Instead, she watches his face freeze into a mask of cold unresponsiveness.

"Peace with the Hath? Little girl, there will be peace when there are no more stinking Hath," Cobb states plainly, his tone brittle and his eyes hard.

"But that's _genocide_. I will **NOT** allow you to commit genocide, Cobb, and neither will my husband when he finds out what you're doing. We will stop you. You need to know that!"

"Your _husband_ is probably dead," Cobb spits at her, furious. "The Hath would have killed him by now. How do you feel towards them knowing that?" he asks her without a shred of sympathy before ordering brusquely, "Take them to a holding cell. I'm tired of bantering words with this pacifist and her friends."

"What about the new soldier?" Cline asks.

Looking her over closely, but with a scowl, he finally says, "Put her in with them. She's from pacifist stock. We can't trust her. Stay and guard them." Turning sharply, Cobb moves back into the main room barking orders and readying his troops for the upcoming fight.

* * *

**A/N: Thanks for the reviews, favourites, and follows so far! I am pretty excited about this story, so I can't wait to see what you all think. -grin- Monday's chapter...The Discovery of Species.**

**Many thanks to the ever supportive Ashlanielle for being such a great beta, and to Layla Crimson for being so enthusiastic. You ladies rock!**

**Thanks to Mirrorflower and Darkwind and pinklilliflower for being such a loyal reviewers. I 3 you! :-)**

**Added later...If you don't mind taking a moment, please review. Even if it's just to say thanks, it means a lot. The stats say people showed up, but with a silent audience it's hard to know if the story's working for you. So, please share the love. Thanks! :-)**


	3. The Discovery of Species

**3 The Discovery of Species**

The Hath that Dougie had administered to, kept the other Hath from attacking, but as the Doctor and Dougie follow him and the others back to their base, the Doctor doesn't think they're out of the woods yet.

"They are creating their own soldiers in the progenitor machines, Doctor," Dougie says quietly as they move through the corridors.

"I know. That's the fourth one we've passed, spitting out new Hath as fast as they can," the Doctor replies. "I'm worried for Rose and the others, Dougie. How do we communicate our intentions? We must stop this war."

The Doctor's musings come to an end as they are led to a map projected within a gridded screen.

"Oh, this must be the tunnel system. Look Dougie, these must connect to the human tunnels. Is that correct?" he asks their Hath escort, who nods. "Good, you can understand us. Right, so if we're here...," he muses as the screen glitches showing more for an instant. "Oh! I saw that. Did you see that?" Dougie nods and the Hath watch them intently.

The Doctor fiddles with his sonic trying it out on the screen a couple of times with no success. Growling at the tool and giving it a good shake he tries again to greater success. Instantly a more thorough image of the entire complex is available. "Ha! I knew it, but this is much more extensive…" His remaining words are lost as the host of Hath around them begin cheering as best they can through the bubbling breathers.

Dougie and the Doctor look around themselves in confusion as the Hath funnel past them, all taking a moment to touch either the Doctor or Dougie as they head out.

Whipping back to the map, the Doctor realises what he's done. "Oh no, I think I just started the war. Rose!"

* * *

"He's going to kill all the Hath and probably the Doctor and Dougie in the process. We have to stop him. There must be a way out of here." Rose shakes the bars a few times in frustration, staring daggers into Cline's back, which he keeps resolutely turned in their direction. Pacing away from the door, she leans back against the wall, sliding down it until she's sitting next to Jack, resting her head on his shoulder.

"You aren't giving up, are you?" Genny asks her.

"No, Genny, I'm just… I'm just worried for the Doctor and Dougie, and I'm worried for all these people both Human and Hath. They don't need to die so senselessly. And we just gave Cobb exactly what he needs. The irony isn't lost on me, by the way," Rose replies miserably.

"We had no idea that Captain Nut-Job out there would prove to be so zealous. It's not your fault, Rose," Donna tells her, laying a soothing hand on her shoulder.

"Yeah, Rosie, the Doctor will find a way. He always does. And, if we're being honest, I'm the one that gave Nut-Job what he needed. If the Doctor's going to be mad, he can be mad at me…again," Jack says with bravado, but Rose can see he's hurting, too.

"I know there's a larger picture here, and we have to fix all of it…" Rose stops when she realises that Genny is staring at her intently. "What? What is it, Genny?"

"Well, you. You talk about not wanting to kill anyone or let anyone die, but that's what we do. We're soldiers. All we know how to do is live and how to die."

"But Genny, we aren't soldiers. We travel places. We help. That's what we do."

"Do people always live? Are you able to save everyone, wherever you go?"

"Well, no, but that's not…"

"And tell me about Time Lords. What are they?"

"Genny, I don't know if you are one…exactly, and that's the Doctor's story," Rose begins, but then suddenly feels overwhelmed emotionally. "Oh, Genny. They're gone. All the Time Lords are gone, and I'm not even a real Time Lord. You're probably just like me—an impossible thing." Bursting into to tears, Rose turns into Jack's shoulder sobbing. Wrapping an arm around her, he nods that he's good to Donna, who gets up and moves to Genny.

"Well, I can answer part of your question," she says to Genny seriously.

"How?"

"Time Lords have two hearts. May I?" Donna asks reaching out toward Genny's chest.

With a nod, Genny watches as Donna gently rests one hand on the left side of her chest, just above her breast. Feeling the steady beat, Donna smiles and then lays her other hand in same spot on the right side of her chest. Genny hadn't had time to notice it before, but now that Donna has pointed it out, her eyes get wide at the difference between her and her fellow soldiers. Suddenly, they feel a little less like the family her programming has tried to tell her they are. Rose's remark about her not being human finally comes home.

Turning back to Rose and Jack, Donna has a smug grin on her face.

"Two hearts, Sunshine. She's yours alright!" Donna tells Rose with glee.

"Really?" Rose asks through the end of her sobs, scrubbing at her face.

-_Can you hear me, Genny? Are you telepathic, too?- _Rose sends to her.

There are two gasps in the room, one from Rose and one from Genny, but not for the expected reasons. When reaching for Genny, Rose startled the baby, who immediately reached for reassurance. Genny heard his need, and gasped in response to the new awareness that abruptly blossomed in her mind, followed rapidly by the baby boy's joyful reply.

Dropping to her knees at Rose's feet, Genny reaches out instinctively, but stops herself, looking up at Rose apprehensively for permission. Rose takes her hovering hand and places it upon the swell of her belly, having felt both Genny's opening and her son's acknowledgement. Smiling at her, Rose squeezes Genny's hand, and when she looks up, tells her, "That's your baby brother."

Mentally reaching out to both of them again, Rose gently caresses their minds, even if Genny can't feel her, and reassures her son that everything's fine, and he should go back to sleep. With a small smile, Rose relaxes and looks back up at Genny, releasing her hand. Doing so, she notices that Genny is still staring at her strangely.

"What is it now?" she jokes, wiping her face again.

"I felt that. You hugged him…and me…well, sort of. And now I can feel you…here," she says, tapping her temple. "Like a warm hum that I can barely hear. That's you, right…Mum?"

"Yes, Genny. That's me, and you can call me mum," Rose replies, pulling the young woman into a tight hug. They cling to each other in the abrupt oddness of the moment that still manages to feel perfect.

"Genny?" Rose asks hesitantly as they sit back from each other.

"Yeah, mum?" she replies, grinning in delight at the prospect of having a mother.

"Would you like to come with us when all this is finished? It's okay if you want to stay, but..."

"You'd let me come...along?" Genny asks, eyes wide.

"It's a big universe out there, Genny, and we'd love for you to come with us." Not realising it when she'd originally asked, Rose is now desperate for her to agree. She doesn't want to leave her daughter behind.

"Yes, Mum! Yes, I want to go! Oh, thank you!" she exclaims, looking for all the world like she'd just received all twenty years worth of Birthday presents at once. Falling into a laughing, hugging heap that Jack and Donna join, they all enjoy the moment filled with so much joyous possibility.

"Right, we still need to get out of here," Rose states, wiping the now happy tears from her face and getting to her feet, brushing herself off brusquely.

_-Rose!- _Someone steadies her from behind, when she sways a little at the Doctor's sudden appearance in her mind.

_-Doctor! Cobb and his cronies have us locked up with Genny. They're marching on the Hath. Some map thing showed them the way!-_

_-Ohhhh…that was me. It glitched, I fixed it…well, you know how that goes. Genny? Who's Genny? You have to get out of there. All the Hath are headed your direction, too.-_

_-I'll tell Jack it was you. He was afraid it was his fault and you'd be mad at him, again. Donna named our daughter, Genny…short for genetic anomaly. That's my fault, I was trying to figure out how she could be our daughter.-_

_-Rose she isn't…not really…-_

_-Doctor-_

_-She's more of a…-_

_-DOCTOR! _**_Stop it!_**_-_

_-Blimey, Rose. No need to shout.-_ Rubbing his temples, he looks over to see if Dougie heard her. To his relief, Dougie appears to still be trying to communicate with their Hath. They had looked for surface thoughts earlier, but couldn't make sense of anything they picked up. Dougie's much more skilled though at communicating with varying telepaths, and is continuing to try.

_-She has two hearts, Doctor. And…she can hear the baby-_

_-**What**!?-_

_-I know…she has your eyes, too-_ He can almost hear Rose's sob through their link and all he wants to do in that moment is hold her. Screw the Hath…screw the Humans, and screw this damn planet.

_-Rose, it's okay. It's all going to work out. She can come with us! We'll travel together. We will figure everything out as soon as we're safe. As soon as we're _**_all_**_ safe. Got that? I'm coming for you, Rose Tyler.-_

_-Not if I see you first, my Doctor-_

* * *

**A/N: It's Mother's Day! Have a chapter early. :-) Molto bene!**


	4. The Soldiering Choice

**4 The Soldiering Choice**

"Right! So let's take a closer look at this map. Maybe it can show us even more," the Doctor says, pulling out his glasses and peering at the new details. The Hath moves forward though and manipulates the map's projector so that it's now in 3D, spinning and showing the full depth of the tunnels.

"Impressive! Look at you, clever Hath," he enthuses. "Look here, Dougie," he points out. "These tunnels dogleg back on themselves several times; that will slow everyone down. If we go up and over the surface, we could get there first!" he says with a gleeful clap of his hands.

With a head shake and a mournful sputtering, the Hath disagrees. Pulling up another chart, he shows them the atmosphere outside.

"Oh, look, atmospheric readings. Okay…oxygen and nitrogen are more or less fine, even for the humans. Ozone is a bit on the uptick, but nothing we can't handle. Luckily, _we_ aren't human, Dougie, or these radiation spikes could cook our insides; but I don't think we'll be out there all that long," he finishes, turning to look at Dougie and the Hath, whose expressions are a bit blank. How is any of that good?

"Brilliant! Well, let's go rescue everyone before this war gets any uglier," he tells them and heads in the same direction the other Hath had earlier, looking for a way to the surface. They've gone a couple of meters when Dougie realises their Hath isn't with them. Turning back, he holds out a hand and beckons.

"Come, my friend. We could still use your assistance," he tells him and finally picks up a surface thought that makes sense—intense happiness. Smiling back at the Hath, they hurry to catch up to the Doctor.

* * *

"Genny, that was brilliant!" Donna exclaims, as they rapidly tie Cline up on the floor of the cell. "I can't imagine the Doctor getting us out using that technique." Giggling at the thought, Donna shakes her head at the images that pop into her mind. She'll have to share them with Jack tonight, he'll be just as amused.

"Well, it was Mum's idea," Genny replies, grinning at Rose.

"The _point_ is to use the least amount of violence possible, and trust me, that threshold is even lower for your father. Don't let him see you with that gun, or I'll never hear the end of it," Rose tells her with her own matching grin.

"Come on, girls. We should go save these people from themselves," Jack says from the door. "It's clear to the stairwell."

Taking the stairs as silently as possible, Jack leans around the corner and spots another guard at the base of the next landing.

"We have company," he tells them quietly.

"Oh, let me distract this one. I've been practising my _womanly wiles_ recently," Donna says cheekily to Jack, as Rose attempts to stifle her snort in her fist.

"Donna, while I adore your wiles, why don't we save them up for a real emergency," Jack whispers to her. Donna isn't sure if she should be insulted or not, so opts to just smirk at him.

Laying a hand on Genny's shoulder as he moves to step forward, Jack says, "I've got this one, ladies. Watch and learn."

Squaring his shoulders, Jack throws himself dramatically to the floor, and begins snaking his pseudo-injured way out into the sightline of the next guard, groaning loud enough to wake the dead.

"Oh, I've been shot. Help."

"Oi! What happened, mate?" are the only words the helpful young man gets out before Genny moves up behind him and lays him low with a chop to his spine.

"Nicely done, Genny. I'm impressed!" Jack tells her as they tie him up and stash him in a dark corner.

"Thanks!" she replies happily. Genny is really pleased that she has hand to hand combat training to fall back on. It's still so ingrained to want to go for the gun, but she's learning, and she appreciates her mum and dad's ideals. She just hopes those same ideals don't prove lacking in their current situation. Stashing Cline's pistol in her waistband, she picks up the battle-rifle Jack's rescuer set aside before loping off after her mum and the others.

"So, how are we going to find our way then? This place is a warren," Donna asks as they are making their way along the corridors.

"With this," Jack says, holding up a cellophane printout of the updated map with a pleased smirk. "I swiped it from the pile Nut-Job made while he was having a go at Rose."

"I could kiss you," Donna says admiringly.

"Of course you can," Jack says, and busses her loudly on the lips before turning and leading the way more confidently. Rose and Genny grin at their antics.

As they move through the corridors, Donna continues to notice the numbers on the beams. She knows she's missing something and it's really starting to bug her. Turning a corner, she sees another one as Jack stops them to begin examining a wall.

"This should be the place. I just need to find a way through."

"Jack, do you have any paper on you?" Donna calls out.

"What...paper? Uh…no…"

"I do," Rose says, reaching into one of her bigger-than-they-ought-to-be pockets, she pulls out a scap of paper and a stub of pencil left over from a bit of bowling that had happened on the TARDIS a few days earlier.

"Thanks," Donna replies absently. "These numbers, they keep counting down. This one ends in 14 and the one at the cell was 16."

"You lot think about things a bit much. What is it you said you do?" Genny asks them.

"How do you mean?" Rose questions in return as Jack begins fiddling with the wall and Donna is lost in thought.

"I mean, what is it that you _do_ when you aren't…here?"

"Well, the Doctor and I travel through time and space; and Donna, Jack, and Dougie are our friends and travel with us."

"But they aren't Time Lords. What were they for then, the Time Lords, since they're apparently gone?"

"Uhh, they weren't _for_ anything. Right pretentious lot, very self-involved, but dead smart and invented loads of things, like…"

"Rose and the Doctor save planets, rescue civilisations, defeat terrible monsters, and do a lot of running." Donna interrupts Rose, answering the questions that the girl was actually asking. Seeing Genny's expression, Donna adds with a snort, "No really, it's an outrageous amount of running." Genny's answering grin tells Donna she's just as daft about the running as her parents. They should get on famously.

At the sound of squeaking metal, they all turn back to Jack and see a door sliding open where once there was a wall.

"Got it! Ha, I am _so good!_" he says, getting to his feet. In the distance they can hear Cobb's voice and more gunfire. "What was it you were just saying about running, Donna? Careful what you wish for," Jack laughs, helping Rose over the threshold after Genny and taking off down the passage with Donna in tow.

Rounding the next corner at a full run, Genny spreads her arms to stop anyone from moving past her. In front of them is a wall of laser lights bisecting the corridor in some form of extra security.

"Right, they couldn't just use some mood lighting. Have to get all dangerous," Donna sasses to no one.

"Jack, over here," Rose calls. "This must be the switching system. Help me. Let's see if we can get it turned off."

As they move to the switches, Donna looks over and sees another of the numbered plaques. "Here's another of those plates—always 8 numbers and always counting down the further in we go."

All four heads rise as they hear the grating sound of the General's voice in the distance. Slinging the large gun around that she'd taken off the last guard, Genny moves back to the head of the passageway they'd just left.

"Genny!" Rose calls. "Where are you going?" she asks worriedly.

"I can protect you, hold them off. It's what I need to do, and it's them or us," she says urgently to Rose.

"But you might not have to kill them, Genny. Remember you always have a choice."

"Not this time, Mum. There is no other choice." And with a quick smile that doesn't reach her eyes, Genny is around the corner.

Taking up a position, Genny begins firing at her previous comrades, much to their surprise. The General manages to duck out of the way as she sends a spray of bullets at them, and thenmoves to a new position. Pulling off a few more shots, she crouches back down and glares at her gun. She never would have hated it, if it wasn't for Rose and Donna's words. Now, she feels like she's letting them down just by holding it.

"Genny, come on!" Jack calls back for her.

"I'm coming," she calls back, hoping that she'll live through the next few seconds and prove the statement true.

Sneaking a look back at their pursuit, she sees a potential non-lethal solution and readies herself, now grinning for real.

Telling his soldiers to cease fire, the General steps forward to see if he can reason with the girl. "You're a child of the machine. You're on my side. Join us. Join with us in the war against the Hath. It's in your blood, girl; don't deny it," he says in his thick brogue.

_It might be in your blood, but that's not my blood,_ she thinks, laying a quick hand between her beating hearts. Leaping to her feet again, Genny aims her gun toward the General, tired of his preaching, but then aims at a pressure valve above the General's head. Firing off a shot, she sees that it does exactly as she hoped and starts pouring superheated gases out of the wound in the metal. Hoping that buys them a little time, Genny gleefully slips back around the corner.

With a grin, she sees her mum and Donna at the far end of the corridor. It had worked! Just as she's about to follow, the lasers burst back into light between them.

"No! The circuit must have reset!" Rose shouts.

"Well, can't you do something? Zap it again," Donna yells unhelpfully.

"I can't, the controls are back there."

Rose looks to Genny, her anger and fear plain on her face.

Throwing the large gun aside, Genny says, "Don't worry, Mum. I can manage on my own."

Taking a moment to prepare herself, Genny sees Jack come around the far corner and stop dead, taking the entire situation in in a moment. With a small smile, Genny begins. It's her turn to be impressive.

Taking a couple of quick steps back and raising her arms, Genny leaps, vaults, and handsprings her way faultlessly through the laser beams. Jack, Donna, and Rose watch in open mouthed astonishment at her advancement through the deadly barrier.

"That's impossible," Donna says softly, watching the progression.

"Not impossible, Donna Noble, she gets that from me! Bronze, Under Sevens Gymnastics Team," Rose tells her excitedly. As soon as Genny lands on their side, she's swept into a heartfelt four-way hug.

"That was brilliant! Completely brilliant," Rose gushes at her.

"You were right, Mum. I had a choice. I could have killed General Cobb and I didn't."

"Oh Genny, I'm so proud of you and your dad would be, too," Rose tells her, pulling her into another hug.

"Ladies, we have company again," Jack says quickly as Cobb and his soldiers rush into the passage on the other side of the lasers. "Let's get out of here, and find whatever it is they're all looking for."

Rose, Donna, and Jack take off at a run down the hallway. Genny stands her ground one last time, staring General Cobb in the eye before she deliberately walks away as he raises his gun and begins shooting at her. Once past the edge of the wall, she races to catch up with the others. Rose was waiting for her. Seeing the determined and somewhat triumphant look in her daughter's eye, Rose squeezes her arm in understanding. Turning, they head up the stairs after Jack and Donna.

* * *

**A/N: Thanks so much for reading. I think I am far enough ahead to update three times a week now. Always beta'd by the ever patient Ashlanielle and previewed by Layla Crimson. I would love to know your thoughts so far. So, please take the time to review; it only makes the story better. Thanks so much!**


	5. The Candle of Life

**5 The Candle of Life**

Sonicing the hatch open, the Doctor is finally able to reach the open air. Other than being a bit brisk, it isn't too bad. Climbing the rest of the way out, he moves to the side as Dougie and the Hath join him in gazing about themselves.

"As Jack said earlier, Doctor, you do take us to the _nicest_ places." The Doctor can hear Dougie's teasing grin in his voice.

"How many planets have we been on recently with three moons in the sky at once, eh Dougie?"

"Three suns, but you're right, not three moons, yet," Dougie replies, still smiling. Turning to the Hath, Dougie can pick up the edges of wonder from their new friend.

"Are you not glad you came? You are the first Hath to see this in how long?"

His reply is a burble through the breather, but the happy edge of wonder remains, and Dougie is pleased to feel the communication, slight though it is. Clapping him on the shoulder, they follow after the Doctor, who is bounding along the uneven terrain like a loose puppy.

They make their way along the ridges and rills of the volcanic landscape in the general direction of the main hub on the map. It should soon be visible through the night as it extends from the ground by many meters, but the rough terrain hinders their attempts at speed. Both Dougie and the Hath have had to help each other over particularly difficult areas. The Doctor seems to have some sort of knack for avoiding the most dangerous zones just before they collapse.

The Doctor's luck runs out at one point, though. As he's extolling them with a story about some adventure on a place called Metebelis III, his miraculous footing fails him. The edge of the crater they are skirting suddenly gives way, and with a shout, the Doctor is tumbling headlong towards its bottom. The walls are made of broken scree so he doesn't appear to injure himself on the way down, but they are all surprised by the wet splash heard at the bottom. What had appeared solid is in fact a lake of slurry, and as the Doctor struggles, it begins to pull him deeper.

"Doctor! Hold still, we're coming. We'll pull you out," Dougie tells him frantically as he slides down the scree after him.

"Holding still isn't really my best skill, Dougie. There isn't anything to hold on to!" the Doctor tells him, trying to maintain a grip on the banks as the sludge tries to pulls him further out.

Dougie and the Hath make it safely to the bank's edge and try to reach him, hoping to pull him out of the thick clinging muck, but there's very little purchase at the rim.

Pausing a moment, the Hath throws himself into the lake, getting behind the Doctor and pushing him toward Dougie, despite the Doctor's struggles and protestations.

"Hath! What are you doing? No, no, no…we can all get out of this. Come on, we'll get a grip on that larger rock over there."

There isn't a larger rock over there, and with a mighty effort, the Hath heaves the Doctor up from the muck and into Dougie's arms. The Doctor and Dougie can do nothing while they gasp and tremble at the shore's brink, watching as the brave Hath is pulled under the slurry. Dougie picks up a feeling of intense gratitude quite clearly from the Hath before the sensation of his presence disappears.

"He has gone into the Universe, Doctor. But I picked up his last thought clearly, and he was grateful. He was pleased to have met us, Doctor. We showed him how things should be when we work together. He was thanking us," Dougie shares quietly between pants, moved by the Hath's sacrifice.

"Thank you, Dougie," the Doctor replies when he has his own breath back, still staring at the hidden danger of the lake. "Let's get going. Messaline doesn't need any more senseless death."

Getting to their feet, they help each other up and over the rough edge of the embankment. Cresting the ridge, they've moved around the curve enough to finally see the cap of the hub above the surrounding landscape. Making a run for it, they hope they aren't too late as they find the hatch and enter a mostly red, highly technical area filled with gangways, pipes, and wires of all kinds. Steam is issuing from some of the junctures, and everything feels primed and ready, like it's waiting for something to happen. But no one is around attending to any of the many gauges, switches, and adjustments necessary for machinery this large to be running this smoothly.

The Doctor moves down the corridor a bit in one direction comes back and moves down the other side, touching, prodding and tapping at things before he returns to Dougie's side, fairly vibrating with excited tension.

"What is this place, Doctor?" Dougie asks, looking around.

"Fusion drive transport system…It's a spaceship, Dougie!" the Doctor answers in delight.

"The original one that brought the colonists?"

"Hmmm, good question," he replies, doing a circle and looking confused. "It could be, but the power cells would have run down in all that ti…"

The Doctor is about to continue explaining, when both he and Dougie feel a new presence brush their minds and it's close.

"Doctor, I believe we are very near Rose and your daughter," he says with a light of happiness in his eyes.

"Indeed, that appears to be the case. Well, let's go catch up to them. Maybe they know something new," he replies a little dubiously. He isn't so sure how he feels about this whole instant daughter business, but he has picked up loud and clear that Rose feels this is their daughter, and he would have hell to pay if he tries to discount her without giving her a chance. Steeling himself for the upcoming reunion, they head off.

* * *

"So, Donna—you and Jack?" Genny asks her quietly as they trail behind Rose and Jack, who are closely following the map. This is the most challenging area, with its overlapping passageways, and they are moving more slowly, trying to not backtrack.

"Yeah, me and Jack. It was sort of immediate and accidental all at the same time, but we're both traveling with them, and we love it," Donna replies with an honest grin.

"Which part was immediate and accidental? The traveling or the relationship?" Genny asks with a cheeky smirk.

"Ha! Think you're clever, don't ya, Spacegirl?" Donna teases her. "Mostly the relationship. The prawn kissed me on like the third day after we met; it was fantastic. See, traveling with the Doctor and Rose sort of skews your perception of time. An awful lot can happen in a very short space of it."

"Tell me about the travelling. What's that like?" Genny asks. She'd been surprised and gratified when her mum said she could come, but she was curious about what it would actually be like.

"Well, to start with, there's never a dull moment. It can be brilliant, terrifying, and hilarious; sometimes all at once. I've seen some amazing things, Genny. Whole new worlds."

"I'd like to see new worlds someday," Genny replies dreamily.

"Oh, you will. Your mum meant it when she invited you along; the more the merrier. Just wait till you meet the TARDIS!" Donna tells her with a giggle. She can't wait to be a part of showing this young woman the Universe. She already feels like Aunt Donna. She'd always wanted to be an aunt.

One thought sobers her a moment, and while it isn't entirely her place to tell it, Donna feels that Genny should have an idea of what she's getting into. Slowing the pace a little more, she reaches out and touches Genny's shoulder lightly to get her attention. The girl's pleased grin fades seeing the serious light in Donna's eyes.

"Genny, your dad, the Doctor…he fought in a very great war much, much larger than this one, for the fate of the entire Universe." Genny's excited eyes get wide and she's about to interrupt with a question, but Donna stops her with a raised hand.

"No, it was more horrible than anything you or I can possible imagine. He _hated_ it, but what he really hated more was himself, because he was the one who ended it, the War. But to do that he had to end his own people as well as his enemies—all of them." Nodding at Genny's aghast expression Donna continues, "He was the only Time Lord anywhere for a very long time, because when he stopped the war he lost his family, too. He's come a long way, especially since Rose, I think; but he still struggles. You're part of his new family and he'll love you, I promise, but remember, he's still haunted by what he lost, and he'll see echoes of them in you and Rose."

Genny's slightly shell-shocked expression wasn't Donna's intention, and she gives the young woman a sideways hug in reassurance. Leaning her head on Donna's shoulder, Genny thinks about what she's just learned. Her mum's protestations of her and the Doctor loathing the possibility of genocide make more sense now, as well as her mum's need to protect her family. This is a lot for a girl to process in her first 24 hours of life, but like Donna said…never a dull moment.

They are still following Jack and Rose, when Genny suddenly notices a new presence in her mind. Looking up startled from Donna's shoulder, she calls out to Rose.

"Mum! I think I feel Dad in my head, well a new hum anyway, and a different bit that's sort of the same but not," she says with her forehead wrinkled in confusion.

"That will be Dougie, the really tall one with the pale hair, do you remember?" Rose replies.

"Oh, yes! He has really pretty eyes," Genny says, smiling brightly.

They all look up and back the way they came at the sound of more gunshots and the lasers overloading.

"They've gotten past the laser barrier!" Jack exclaims.

"Is it time for more running? I love the running," Genny says excitedly, and they can all see echoes of her father in her as she bounces on the soles of her feet in anticipation.

"We love the running, too," Rose beams in reply as they take off hand in hand.

"Some of us do _not_ love the running," Donna grumbles. Jack snorts laughter at her as he grabs her hand. They grin at each other and take off after the retreating backs of mother and daughter.

Rounding another corridor, they sprint to its end, herded by the sounds of gunfire, but they find their way is blocked.

"We're trapped," Donna points out.

"This must be the Temple," Rose says, looking closely at the map.

"Well, then, this must be the door. Help me find the panel, Rosie," Jack says, feeling around for the frame and maybe a panel. "You know, this would be a lot easier if you had a sonic," he points out as he starts shoving wiring and bits of covering out of the way.

"Tell me about it. I keep trying to get him to make me one, but I haven't succeeded yet. Maybe I'll work on it with the TARDIS. See what She and I can come up with…got it! Here Jack."

Donna watches them switch wires and poke and prod things within the little opening Rose had found, getting more and more worried about their timing. Then, she looks up and notices another number. Pulling out her piece of paper, she adds it to the list. This one ends in 12. _These are too similar, too familiar,_ she thinks to herself. In a sudden burst of insight, she feels her stomach drop in realisation. She wants one more of these plates to make sure, but Donna's positive she has it worked out.

Genny is bouncing from foot to foot glancing back and forth between them and the running steps that are getting closer and closer. Pulling the pistol out of her belt, she holds it ready—just in case.

Just as the shadows of the running soldiers become visible, Rose and Jack get the door open with a surprised and jubilant shout. They all move as quickly as possible into the new room and push the door shut just as the bullets start flying in their direction. One wings the edge of the door frame just as Jack gets the door slid shut.

"Stand back!" Genny yells at him, and shoots the locking mechanism as he moves away. "That was close!"

"Wouldn't be fun any other way," Rose says, happily grinning her tongue-touched smile at her daughter. Answering with a grin of her own, they start off down the new corridor following Jack and Donna.

"This looks like the insides of a spaceship, Rosie," Jack tells her as they make their way up another stairway. At the landing, they see the marks of a cutting torch being used against a wall from the other side.

"That will be the Hath. They'll be here soon," Genny says.

"And then we'll have a war on our hands when Cobb gets through, too. Just peachy," Donna comments.

"Jack, this can't be the original spaceship, it's all powered up," Rose says looking around themselves. Catching sight of a computer monitor on another gangway above them, she turns to her friends. "This way. I see a computer."

As they round the next bend to reach the wanted landing, they run directly into the Doctor and Dougie.

"Doctor!" Rose exclaims, leaping into his arms. He spins her around in joyful though quick reunion. "Oh, you're filthy! What happened?" she says, stepping back and brushing herself off.

"We, ahh…we took the surface route. Got here right on time, I see," he says with a somewhat brittle though genuine smile. Rose will have to ask him later what happened; they obviously don't have time now.

"Doctor, Dougie, good to see you. The Hath and Cobb are nearly here. We are headed toward a computer terminal that Rose saw. Hopefully, that will shed some light on what the hell's going on," Jack catches them up.

Genny steps up hesitantly. She knows they're in a hurry, but she can't just ignore her first real meeting with her father. "Hi, I'm Genny. We didn't get a chance to meet properly…before, I mean."

Rose holds her breath as she watches the interaction. She can feel his hesitation warring with his instinctual desire to hug her. As the intensity of his emotions comes to a head, he steps forward and pulls her into an embrace with his long arms wrapped snug about her. "Hello, Genny. I'm the Doctor, and I'm your father," he tells her softly, resting his chin on the crown of her head for a moment.

"Time for lots of cleaner hugs and catching up later. Now, let's find out what there is to know about Messaline. Allons-y!" he says, smiling as he steps back from her, giving her arms a reassuring squeeze before turning back to follow Rose to the computer.

Donna is so proud of him, she could nearly burst. The wide happy smile on Genny's face is exactly what she'd hoped to see. Jack gives Donna a little hug as the rest of them follow after the Doctor and Rose, Dougie bringing up the rear.

Reaching the computer, the Doctor immediately begins accessing the information. The screen shows:

**_ First wave of Hath/Human Co-colonisation of planet Messaline_**

**_ core subterranean deployment successful_**

**_ online and active_**

**_ phase one initiated_**

**_ Construction drones deployed_**

**_ construction of sections 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B, 3C…_**

"They used robot drones to build the city," the Doctor continues reading.

"But what happened? Does it say where it all went wrong?" Rose asks.

"Final entry…Mission commander dead! Second in Command, Lt. Cobb injured in same accident…Total loss of memory…'With no command structure, the Hath and Humans have divided into factions'. That's what happened. In the power vacuum, the crew divided into two factions and turned on each other," he postulates, gesturing toward the screen. "But look here, the automated medical system couldn't save the Commander, but it could save Cobb. Lacking his own memories, they wiped him and brain-buffed him with the same suite of knowledge they gave you, Genny. He thinks he's one of the progenated colonists."

"With the progenation machines, you can create two armies to fight a never ending war and they're both outside," Genny points out.

Turning to Rose, he asks, "You said he seemed angry and somewhat unstable in your communications, right?"

"That's putting it mildly, but yes. He seems to go from angry to manic in the space of a heartbeat," Rose replies. "I'll share all the details with you later."

"Wait. Doctor, my apologies, but how does this work with our current understanding of their timeframe. How long have these colonists been here?" Dougie asks.

"I can answer that," Donna replies confidently from where she's standing beneath a large red clock. "I spent six months working as a temp in Haslow Library, and I mastered the Dewey Decimal system in two days flat. I'm good with numbers," she says smugly.

Jack grins at her as Genny moves up beside her, trying to see the connections Donna has made.

"It's staring us in the face," Donna says excitedly.

"What is?" Genny asks.

"It's the date," Donna tells them, turning to the group and pointing at the clock behind her. Going through her explanation of how she figured it out, the Doctor moves excitedly to her side. Donna points out how the month and day are reversed like in America. The Doctor slaps a palm to his forehead in a eureka moment.

"Oh! It's the New Byzantine calendar! Donna, you are brilliant!"

"Oh, it gets better, Spaceman. The codes are completion dates for each section. When those robots you mentioned finish it, they stamp the date on. So, the numbers aren't counting down, they're going out, day by day, as the city got built."

"Yeeesssss….Ohhhh, good work, Donna!" the Doctor tells her, obviously impressed. She can't help but take a moment to preen, but sees she still needs to continue.

"Yes…well…thanks, but see, you're still not gettin' it. The first number we saw was 60120717…" Staring at each other, Donna rolls her eyes seeing the Doctor is _still_ not there. Rose behind them, gasps audibly as she makes the leap and moves up beside Genny.

"Look at the date today, Doctor," Rose says, pointing at the digital display.

"0724," the Doctor replies, and then he makes the connection. "No…no, no, no…"

"But what does it mean?" Genny asks, still not seeing.

"Seven days…" he says, astonished understanding blooming across his face.

"That's it," Donna agrees. "Seven days."

"Oh, my God. It's only been seven days since the war broke out," Rose says, eyes wide in disbelief.

Shaking her head in confusion, Genny replies, "They said years."

"No, Genny, they said generations," Donna explains. "And if they're all like you, products of the machines…"

"Then they could have 20 generations in a day," the Doctor finishes. "Donna, **you** are a genius!"

"Each generation dies in the war, and the legend gets passed on," Rose says sadly, looking at Genny's growing confusion as she struggles to understand her place in the world she been abruptly born into.

"Doctor, all those passages that looked to be in ruins, you're suggesting they're just empty, waiting to be populated?" Dougie asks, seeing the big picture suddenly and saddened by the dramatic loss of life implied.

"They mythologised their entire story. Doctor, that means the Source must be part of it, too," Rose says as she makes the connection.

"Source?" the Doctor asks, looking confused.

"Yeah, Cobb was going on about the Breath of Life and how it would bring Peace. Of course, his idea of peace means the genocide of the Hath, but Rose told him off for you," Jack says with a proud grin.

"There will **not** be any genocide while I'm still alive," the Doctor grinds out through gritted teeth.

"Yup, that's pretty much what she said," Jack replies with another proud smirk.

"Does anyone else smell flowers?" Dougie asks incongruously, looking around the area puzzled at the dichotomy between his senses and all the metal and pipes.

"Yes, bougainvillaea! Good call, Dougie!" the Doctor says, sniffing deeply. "Source, source, we have to find this source. Oh, but I think I have a very good idea what that really is. Come on!" The Doctor turns, leaping up a nearby stairway, skipping every third step.

Flying up the stairs nearby, the Doctor is closely followed by Jack, Donna, and Dougie.

Genny is still having a hard time with everything that's changed so suddenly in her world view, and is hanging back.

"Mum, is it always like this?" she asks Rose, feeling a bit overwhelmed.

"Is what always like this, sweetheart? The Doctor's mania, the crazy circumstances, or the speed at which everything can change?" Rose asks with insightful understanding, having once experienced similar thoughts when she'd first met the Doctor.

"Ummm…yes?" Genny replies, smiling at her mum's answer.

"More or less, but you've done brilliantly. I felt exactly the same way on our first adventures. Wait till you aren't understanding something he's explaining, and he looks at you like you dribbled on your shirt. That's my favourite bit," she says sarcastically, trying to get her daughter to smile. Meeting with success, Rose pushes on, "I know this is all coming fast and hard, Genny, but it will get easier, I promise. Let's just get passed this last part as he saves everyone, and then I'll make you my famous cup of tea and introduce you to Darling. She's our Ship, and She's going to love you."

"Your ship is alive?"

"That and so much more…" They move to the base of the ladder as Rose tells her about the TARDIS. The distraction gives Genny the needed moment to get a grip on herself and she's thoroughly grateful. Feeling a burst of emotion towards her mother, she finds the word _love_ fall easily into place. She _loves_ her mum, and knows her mum _loves_ her, too. No matter how much weirder this day gets, learning that makes everything alright.

Hearing Cobb's voice in the distance, they glance at each other and hurry up the stairs after the others.

* * *

**A/N: Monday's Chapter...Peace in Our Time**


	6. Peace in Our Time

_I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry._

* * *

**6 Peace in Our Time**

Reaching the top of the stairs is a revelation. They find themselves in an arboretum of sorts, the smell of fresh growing things strong in the air. Warm breezes and soft light filter through the grating above them to the flowers and palms that are growing thickly everywhere their eyes can reach.

Seeing the Doctor still standing there looking around with a soft smile, Rose moves forward and takes his hand. He squeezes it as he looks down at her, before starting forward through the overgrowth, pushing the leafy fronds out of their way.

Coming to the end of the path through the palms, they reach a much larger open area. They can see metal through the plants, but it is filled with life all around them. In the centre of the open area is a pedestal holding a glowing orb filled with swirling green and gold light. Rose gives a little shiver seeing it, being instantly reminded of Bad Wolf and her own strange abilities.

The Doctor squeezes her hand again before loosening it to move forward toward the sphere.

"Oh, yes, yes! Isn't this brilliant?" he asks with obvious delight. Throwing off his coat in the warm humidity, he comes close to the bright sphere.

"It's beautiful," Genny says in wonder, joining him. "What is it?"

"Terraforming," he tells her, pleased at her interest. "It's a third generation terraforming device."

"Is the sphere why we are surrounded by this lovely garden, Doctor?" Dougie asks, looking around them with evident happiness.

"Well, yes. Doing all this must keep it stable. It's currently in a transitional state," he explains, waving at the lush greenery around them. "Terraforming is like this, but on a much, _much_ larger scale. It must be waiting…"

They're interrupted as the Hath suddenly burst through the tropical plants behind them and the Humans across the way, led by a very dangerous looking General Cobb.

Jack and the Doctor immediately move between the factions and their family. Arms spread and palms open, the Doctor begins what he does best; trying to diffuse the potentially hostile situation. His experience with the Hath told him that _they_ at least are willing to have peace. He just needs to convince Cobb.

"Stop! Hold your fire!" he shouts at both sides.

"What is this, some kind of trap?" Cobb asks, backed up by his soldiers, all pointing rifles either at the Doctor or the Hath as they look around nervously.

Rose can't help herself, and since she actually has experience with Cobb, she moves to the Doctor's side, hoping to finally get through to the Human's warmongering leader. She feels sorry for him, now that she knows what happened to him, why he seems so unstable. Maybe she can get through to him.

"You said you wanted this war over," she says to Cobb.

"I want this war won," he replies fiercely.

"You can't win, no one can," the Doctor adds. Turning to involve the Hath as well, he continues, "You don't even know what started this war. Your whole history is just whispers in the dark, getting more distorted the more it's passed on, generation to generation."

"Cobb, you were hurt in an accident that killed the commander. You weren't progenated," Rose tells him, hoping to see a spark of recognition. He blinks at her a couple of times in confusion, but gets distracted as the Doctor starts speaking again.

He's moved up beside the terraforming sphere, with Donna and Dougie behind him. Jack is closer to the Hath, and Genny near Rose.

Gesturing to the sphere, the Doctor begins to try and explain why they're here.

"**This**…is the Source," he says with emphasis. "This is what you're fighting over. A device to rejuvenate a planet's ecosystem. It's not a weapon. It isn't anything mystical. It's from a laboratory, not some made-up creator."

Moving away from it now, he steps close to Rose as he begins expanding on his premise, now that he sees he's got their attention.

"It's a bubble of gasses, a cocktail of stuff to force accelerated evolution. Hydrogen, methane, ammonia, amino acids, proteins, nucleic acids, it's used…to make barren planets habitable," he explains, his own wonder at the possibilities obvious in his oration.

"Can't you see, Cobb? It isn't for killing, it's for bringing life, if you let it," Rose pleads with him again.

Looking around between the Hath and the Humans, the Doctor tries with words and the force of his will alone to make them understand the incredible potential they have at the fingertips.

"If you let it, this could raise you out of these dark tunnels and into the light of a brand new day, on your brand new planet. Think of how much more you could do together than at each other's throats. You were meant to do this as a team. You came to Messaline as partners."

Genny is completely focused on her father as he's speaking. The blatant love and respect for the species he's speaking to is so evident to her. She's in awe of how he can see so much beauty in such a horrible situation-one he's only been in for less than a day. The realisation slams home and she's filled with a fierce pride. That's her father and he's going to fix this!

Seeing the Doctor move to the terraforming sphere and pick it up with determination, Rose and Genny back up toward him so he can take advantage of his finale.

Taking Genny's hand, Rose leans in to whisper in her ear, "This is my favourite part!" The two women grin at each other and watch as the Doctor looks at the Hath leader and back to Cobb over the sphere in his arms.

"No more killing," raising the Source high, his voice rings out filling the space. "I am the Doctor! And I say this war is over!" Throwing the Source to the floor, it bursts, releasing the golden dust and green energy into the air around them. The Humans and Hath both gaze on in fascination, following the progression of the gasses around and then up and beyond them.

Starting with Cline, and moving through the Human ranks, they all begin dropping their weapons as they continue to watch in amazement as the living energy fills the air above them.

The Hath, too, lay their arms down, more than willing to end the unproductive fighting.

Cobb looks around himself in confusion as his soldiers and his enemies disarm themselves. His mind is filled with a rage he doesn't understand, and the voices ringing in his head argue constantly.

Part of him rejoices in the perceived end of this pointless revolution, but another part of him rages against the pacifistic ideals of this invader and his woman. How dare they come in here and ruin everything, turning a soldier against her kind. He had it all under control. This is not how this was supposed to happen. The stinking Hath are still alive! Therefore, all his people are still in jeopardy.

Rose senses Cobb's turmoil and moves to the Doctor's side as Genny asks him what's happening. She gets distracted by the self-satisfied grin her husband is wearing as he's rocking back and forth on his heels, smiling openly at Genny's inquiry. Rose is completely arrested when he bends down, putting his face next to hers, and begins telling her about how the gases will escape and filter outward affecting profound changes on the planet, pointing as he explains. Seeing them this way, Rose can see so much of her Doctor in Genny as they grin at each other in delight at the prospect of this completely new beginning.

Cobb is also watching the exchange between the Doctor and his stolen machine-born soldier. That strange man may be her genetic donor, but she is _his_ soldier; and seeing her happy, consorting with this… this _heathen,_ squashes the benevolent voice in his head under a wave of blinding hostility. He almost feels his heart ready to burst from his chest it's beating so hard in righteous indignation. Then, seeing the woman who caused him so much grief step up to form a radiant trio is the last straw. His vision swims red and he's nearly blinded by the intense hatred that boils up, just as Rose steps between Cobb and the Doctor.

Genny, sensing some change in the air before anyone else, looks over just as Cobb raises his gun, his face a rictus of hate. With a gasp and without another thought, Genny throws herself at Rose, knocking her back just as Cobb fires his pistol, the bullet unerringly finding a home deep within her chest. She looks down at the wound in surprise as her legs collapse and the strong arms of her father catch her, gently guiding her down. Lifting a hand to the gushing hole, does nothing to stop the flow of dark red. Raising her eyes to her dad's, Genny is caught by the depth of sadness and regret there. Instantly she understands that she's dying. Her limbs are so heavy and she's tired, but she smiles at her father, hoping he knows that even one day with him was worth it.

Dougie has barely caught Rose, keeping her safe from falling, before she's launches herself to Genny's side where she lays in the Doctor's arms, blood welling from the hole in her chest through her fingers. Jack and Donna rush to her as well, as Dougie comes up behind the Doctor, touching him gently, knowing what he'll need. Dougie gently takes his place, as the Doctor stands turning away from his wife and daughter to confront the man that has just torn his new family apart.

Pressing her hands to the wound in Genny's chest, Rose looks up to Jack and Dougie for help.

"She'll regenerate, right?" she asks them before returning her gaze to Genny's less focused one. "You'll be okay, Genny. There's this thing that Time Lords do called regeneration," Rose tries to tell her, trying not to give in to the sobs that threaten to overtake her. "You'll change, sweetheart, but inside you'll still be you, and we'll go on exploring. There's so much to see. Stay with me, Genny. **_Doctor_**! **_Help me_**!" Rose pleads.

Hearing Rose's heartsfelt pleading sends the Doctor very close to an edge he hasn't toed in a while. Closing his eyes a moment, he opens them and begins to stalk slowly toward where Cobb is being restrained by his own people. Cobb had acted so quickly and so against everyone else around him that he'd surprised them, and the Doctor can see by the look in the young man's eyes that's restraining him-he'll blame himself for Genny's death his entire life.

The dispair he sees in the Doctor's eyes drags Jack instantly to his feet, following the Doctor. While understanding his anger and sense of betrayal, Jack knows that he would never _plan_ to kill Cobb, and he'll be there to make sure he doesn't. Jack doesn't want a relapse like they'd seen with Dr. Coriolanus on Relitarium 5.

"Donna, I don't know what to do," Rose pleads brokenly to her, seeing the Doctor move like a predator toward Cobb instead of helping her. Part of her understands and wants to rip Cobb limb from limb, but right now, Genny needs her more than her rage needs to avenge itself on Cobb. Maybe that's how it works for her and the Doctor. He'll take care of the rage, while she takes care of the grief? That isn't fair, and she makes sure he knows how she's feels, opening herself up wide so he can feel everything she does.

"Rose, my friend," Dougie says gently. "We are all here for Genny. Let us love her through this transition, whatever it may be." He understands both of his friends better than they do themselves sometimes. Giving Rose the comfort the Doctor can not at the moment, is his charge, and laying a hand to her shoulder he sends her a wave of strength and caring—bolstering her through whatever happens next.

Rose immediately stops projecting. Dougie's right, and he's just as vulnerable to her focused hurt and misery as the Doctor. She hadn't considered that, just reacted. "I'm sorry Dougie," she whispers, glancing at him before returning her gaze to her daughter's.

"Genny, look at me, baby," Rose says, laying her free hand against her face. Genny's eyes slowly focus on her.

"A whole new world, mum," she says quietly, smiling up at the beautiful lights that are so bright.

"That's right, sweetheart. A whole new world here and a whole Universe for us to see. We can go anywhere, everywhere. You pick, my sweet girl."

"That sounds nice," she replies, trying to nod. Rose is trying not to look down at her hand, where Genny's blood is refusing to stop flowing. Where is the sign? Why hasn't the golden fire started?

"You're our daughter, Genny Tyler, and we only just got started. You're going to be completely brilliant. You hear me, baby girl? Utterly amazing."

One second, Genny is there, looking out at her from her beautiful dark, blue-grey eyes. The next, she's gone, and her gaze slides sideways as her body goes limp within Dougie's gentle embrace.

"**NO**! Genny, no. She's just unconscious, right? She'll start regenerating any minute now. Genny…no…" Rose collapses onto Genny's still form, sobbing out as Donna holds her, being her strength. Looking up at Dougie as he gently eases Genny to the floor, he shakes his head slightly and Donna doubles her grip on her sobbing friend, letting her own tears fall silently down her cheeks.

The Doctor's tenuous grip on his emotions tightens to near breaking as he feels Genny slip from his mind, and his last few steps toward Cobb happen faster than any human's could as he bends down, grabbing Cobb's gun, cocking it, and pressing into the old man's skull in the space of one heartbeat.

Jack tenses, but stays where he is. For some reason, he doesn't think the Doctor will actually shoot Cobb. The waves of fury and hurt are rolling off of him, but they aren't focused. If this had been Rose though, he would have already been restraining her. Jack is very thankful that Dougie is watching Rose. His calming nature will hopefully keep her away from Cobb's insanity. The insanity that is clearly visible on his face as he still gazes defiantly at the Doctor, not caring one whit what he chooses to do. The Doctor glares at the man kneeling at his feet, his gaze black in his anger and knows the man is sick and beyond reason. That doesn't make what's happened any easier, but he won't kill him.

Breathing heavily at the emotional onslaught that's raging in his own hearts, this revelation breaks the tension. Abruptly kneeling in front of the restrained man, the Doctor's black eyes are riveted to Cobb's blue, as he uncocks the pistol, twisting it and gesturing with it while holding the barrel.

"I never would," he says in a tone that is almost conversational. "Do you understand me? You killed her, and still I..**_never_**…**_would_**." The Doctor locks gazes with the man one more time, but he can see that nothing he's said has made it through the man's psychosis. He's too damaged. Stepping away from him, the Doctor needs to make the point for those it will actually benefit—the Humans and Hath that will shape their infant world.

"When you start this new world, this world…of Human and Hath," the Doctor begins, his grief plain on his face in the tracks of the tears that now flow and in the catch of his voice. Still holding Genny's hand, Rose turns to watch her husband as she hears him begin speaking for the population.

"Remember that. Make the foundation of this society, **A MAN WHO NEVER WOULD!**" he yells, looking directly at Rose, so she can see the depth of the suffering in his eyes. Turning back to the Hath and sparing a glance at the Humans, the Doctor throws the weapon aside as he walks back to his shattered family.

Taking a place beside Rose, he wraps his arms around her, and takes her blood soaked fingers in his where they clutch their daughter's still hand tightly. Pulling Rose against him, he holds her through another bout of sobbing as Donna, Jack, and Dougie form a circle around them, giving them space for their grief.

Cline sends two soldiers to lock up Cobb. Turning, he nods to his people as he walks up to the circle, pauses a moment head bowed, before moving on. His people follow him, doing the same, paying their respects to the Doctor's and their own loss.

Gable, the leader of the Hath, walks to Dougie's side of the circle to do the same. Laying his hand briefly on Dougie's shoulder, he too moves on, allowing his people a chance to show their respect for the fallen as well.

* * *

**A/N: I borrowed bits of dialog from TDD when they were too good not to use. I know, you can hate me a little. How often does the Doctor think he might just be getting a bit of reward when it gets snatched away? BUT! I'm not going to leave it here. I have plans for a girl...-hands rubbing- oh, yes, great plans! :-)**

**Wednesday's chapter...7 The Exhalations of Grief are Life**

**Thanks for reading, and any and all reviews are greatly appreciated. Beta'd and previewed by Ash and Layla. **


	7. The Exhalations of Grief are Life

**7 The Exhalations of Grief are Life**

_-Doctor, why isn't she regenerating? Isn't she like us?- _Incapable of speaking, Rose asks using her mind instead.

_-Oh, Rose. No, I guess she isn't enough like us. She was Gallifreyan, but without certain traits she wasn't a Time Lord and can't regenerate. I'm so sorry. I had so many ideas about where to take her first-_

_-She _**_was_**_ so like you, you know. So enthusiastic, she learned the choice between killing and finding another way, and was excited when it made sense to her. You would have been so proud-_

_-Rose, my precious, precious Rose. I _**_am_**_ proud. I am so, so proud of both of you. Will you share her with me later, so I can know her the way you did? I missed out...on knowing our daughter- _Rose senses the echoes of so much loss from him and it only adds to her misery.

_-Of course. I…I need to get to the TARDIS, though. I'm not feeling well, the baby is upset. He felt her go, too, because I was holding her, and I need to rest. They'll take care of her, won't they?- _ she asks, momentarily fearful._ -She was born here, I think it's fitting she should stay-_

_-I agree. I'll make sure she's taken care of. Go with Dougie. I'll be along-_

Silently, they sit vigil for another few minutes before he helps Rose stand and allows Dougie to take her, having already communicated his plans to him. Dougie moves away with Rose to Donna to Jack's side. They exchange a few quiet words, and Donna wraps an arm around Rose as Jack looks back to the silent figure grieving by his daughter's body.

The Doctor looks over at Jack a moment, nods, and mouths, "Thank you," to him. Jack straightens and gives him a crisp and unusually sincere salute. This serves to pull one side of the Doctor's mouth up toward a small smile. Seeing his success, Jack turns and follows the others to the TARDIS, leaving the final arrangements to the Doctor.

* * *

The Doctor stands, communing silently with Genny. Telling her all the things they could have done and seen. All the trouble her mum would get them into. And he apologises for letting her down. If he had realised how out of control Cobb was, things would have ended differently. Everything was going so well, he'd allowed himself to get distracted, and it cost him the life of his accidental daughter. Learning the snippets of their escapades through Rose's brief communications had only been enough to scratch the surface of this brilliant young woman. It frustrates him to no end that something drastic always has to happen before the short-lived peoples finally get it. Well, thinking on it, drastic is in the eye of the beholder, because it took a different kind of drastic to get his own _long-lived_ people to get a clue.

Kneeling down, he gathers her body into his arms and standing again, turns to leave the room. At the door, Gable and Cline are waiting for him, ready to lead a procession through the tunnels back to the theatre. The way is lined with all of their people, both Human and Hath, standing silently in observance of her sacrifice. After a few paces, observance is no longer enough… a Hath reaches out and gently brushes her shoulder, the next a human touches her hand, and another her hair. As the Doctor carries her through the tunnels the Humans and Hath briefly touch her, acknowledging in their own way that she was there-she had been one of them.

Initially, the Doctor wants to stop them, the touching being so against his own ways. But he calms himself, actually feeling the need in the people around him. They are grieving for his loss in a way he cannot yet, and he can be grateful to them.

Moving through the tunnels, they finally reach the theatre that had been the staging area for the earlier Human resistance. Now, there is a table set up for him to lay Genny on, dappled in the ever changing rays of the Terraforming reactions that are taking place on the other side of the windows.

"Would you let us give her a proper ceremony, Doctor?" Cline asks and Gable nods in agreement. "I think it would be good for us. We promise to do right be her, honour her sacrifice, and your and Rose's teachings. We could have learned so much from you. I'm sorry it happened this way. I hope you'll check in on us someday. See what we've made of ourselves, now that you've given us another chance."

The Doctor has no room for any words of his own, but he nods his agreement. Turning to leave, he pauses at the door, looking back at Genny one last time, before making his lonely way to the TARDIS.

Reaching the familiar blue box, he's greeted with a wave of strong love from Her when he lays his hand against the door prior to opening it. Her unconditional support pulls a smile to his lips, and he thanks Her as he pushes the door open and makes his way up the ramp with slow tired steps.

Reaching the Console, the Doctor finally looks up to see Dougie, Jack, and Donna looking at him. Squelching the desperate need to be alone, he moves to take them into the Vortex. Everyone takes their places and helps…silently. Once safely floating within the timelessness of the Vortex, the Doctor sighs deeply, leaning back against one of the struts.

Rose enters the room, freshly showered and wrapped in a blanket. Guilt sweeps over the Doctor for not going to her immediately, but letting her deal with her grief alone. That has always been his way, but it's not hers. Stepping away from the strut to go to her, she moves past him to the jump seat without looking up.

Feeling even worse for her rejection, no matter how deserved, he falls back against the coral again, receiving another supportive wave from the TARDIS.

**_~She grieves and worries, my Thief. That is not your doing~_** the TARDIS tells him frankly.

_/No, but I wasn't there for her either, and that is,/_ he replies.

**_~She holds no blame in her heart for you, but you will have to explain Rassilon's Imprimatur. She was insistent~_**

_/Well, I have enough blame for both of us then, and I will, thank you./_

**_~My beautiful idiot, blame is useless. Genny was why I brought you here. I did not realise you would also create her. I am the one who missed the paradox and brought you early~_**

_/I'm not sure that's entirely accurate. Genny wouldn't have been made at all if we hadn't landed. They'd already put all the others through the progenator machines multiple times. She wouldn't have been different enough without us, and it was Rose's compassion and beliefs that shaped her beyond the teaching she was born with. Still a paradox, but a very unavoidable one./_

The TARDIS brushes his mind again, and he returns the affection, though his hearts yearn to go to Rose.

"Were we brought to Messaline because of Genny, Doctor?" Jack asks astutely.

"Yes. The TARDIS and I were just going over it. She hadn't realised Genny was a paradox, an endless paradox."

"I wouldn't have changed it," Rose says from the jump seat, startling them. As they all look at her, she pushes her hair back behind her ears, looking very sad and very young as she sits, her grief plain to see.

"I would never choose to miss this day. A different ending would've been nice, but I wouldn't have changed anything else about meeting her, making her."

"Me, either, Rose," the Doctor says, his own voice thick, and they hears sounds of agreement from the other three as well. Pushing away from the strut, he takes a step forward to join her, but she raises a hand, stilling him.

"Please tell me about the Imprimatur. The TARDIS said I had to ask you, so I am. What is it and how would it keep Genny from regenerating?"

The Doctor stiffens at her question and hesitates, feeling all eight pairs of eyes fixed on him. The Imprimatur is one of the best kept Time Lord secrets—the one most easily hidden, because it just wasn't spoken of. Feeling hundreds of years worth of tradition fluttering around his ears in trepidation, he choose to ignore them. Keeping their secrets hadn't kept them from the War, or from dying, or from being locked away.

He's told these people about the War, about how his people destroyed as much as they saved in their misguided attempts to be the victors in an unwinnable battle for more than their precious secrets. How is this any different? These four people, well four and a half, are his family. Reminding himself of what Rose is constantly trying to pound into his skull—he isn't doing this alone.

"Well," he starts, feeling more-or-less at ease with his decision, but not more comfortable with the subject matter itself. Turning back toward the console and running his hands through his hair, he stuffs them in his pockets before he continues, "In his prime, Rassilon discovered or invented (the stories differ) a symbiotic nuclei present within a Gallifreyan's cells. He postulated that the nuclei developed because of the presence of the Schism when it still resided within the planet's crust, and our evolution near it. Once the Schism was uncovered, he began experimenting with how the raw forces of time worked within it and affected us. With this knowledge, he manipulated and altered the nuclei to be more stable, so that when charged by exposure to the raw energies present within the Schism, they activated.

"In my time, this stage made you a junior Time Lord at the age of 8. That is if it didn't drive you immediately insane or kill you on the spot, which happened occasionally. While any Gallifreyan could become a Time Lord, not all were. The great Time Lord Houses took precedence, but gifted children could test for a chance to see the Schism, a dubious honour, I assure you. But it had to be children to be mentally flexible enough to withstand the changes.

"The exposure to the Schism activates not only our ability to withstand the Vortex, and to bond with and utilise the TARDIS, but most importantly, it opened our temporal senses and expanded our awareness of our dimensionality. The century or so we spend in the Academy is to teach us how to use and control this new awareness and abilities—one of those abilities being regeneration. That's why we only get thirteen initially, but can be granted more, by being given fresh symbiotic nuclei. That's what the Sphynx did for us when she remade you and zapped me."

"But what does that all mean for me or Genny? I haven't seen the Schism. And why didn't I know about the Imprimatur? What good is having all this knowledge if it **can't** **help**?" Rose ends yelling, fresh tears standing in her eyes.

"My Rose, you are something special, something unique," the Doctor says tenderly, going to her despite the anger. Taking her face in his hands, he needs her to understand. "You were made this way, like Genny in a sense, but from the TARDIS herself and by a pan-dimensional being that was feeling generous one day. I can spend the rest of my life trying to understand how you exist, Rose Tyler, but I'd rather just live it with you."

Seeing the sincerity in his eyes, she relaxes against him, allowing him to comfort her, where she couldn't before. He wraps his arms tightly about her, rocking them gently.

Hearing a small, polite cough behind them, the Doctor and Rose suddenly remember that they are, in fact, not alone in the room.

"Doctor, Rose, I know this is, of course, a sensitive subject, but I have a question based on what you just shared," Dougie says cautiously.

"Yes, Dougie, please," Rose responds, wiping her eyes and trying to smile for him. The Doctor stands next to Rose protectively; he is not smiling.

Seeing the Doctor's expression, does the exact opposite of stopping him, if that was his intention. Dougie thinks these two need a little more hope in their lives, and he feels the importance of this in his soul.

"I wonder, since Genny was made from both your genetic material, that the Imprimatur nuclei may have actually been there, though partially dormant, especially with Rose's being a different variety. Would exposure to the terraforming energies not, in a sense, act like the Schism on a newly formed Gallifreyan body? Perhaps we should have waited a bit longer, or perhaps it would happen differently. I have a very strong feeling we should check, Doctor."

The Doctor's expression has grown thunderous through Dougie's postulating, as he feels the glimmer of hope twitch in his own hearts. There's no way he can ignore the bonfire that has erupted in Rose's beside him; their bond is alive with it—hope.

"Doctor, we have to check. What if Dougie's right?" Rose asks, pleading with her eyes.

"What if he's not?" he retorts, moving away from her to begin fiddling agitatedly at the console. "We were there for hours afterward. It shouldn't have taken so long if there was hope."

"Well, technically we were only there for 2 hours and 12 minutes after…well after Genny…fell," Jack manages against the Doctor's glare.

Donna nudges Jack with an elbow, smiling proudly at him when he glances at her. He squeezes her shoulders but locks his eyes on the Doctor.

"Doctor, please. I want to know. Even if we find we're wrong," Rose tries again.

"And what then?" he asks rudely, throwing his hands in the air and pacing in front of the console; a caged tiger that's being poked. "What are you going to do if they've _embalmed_ her? How are you going to feel if they _burned_ her, which is what I almost told them to do, but they asked to make their own ceremony, and I allowed it." The misery and anger plain on his face as he turns a baleful eye in his wife's direction, is at war with the tiny spark of hope she can feel trickle through their link.

"What are you going to do if they came up with something you don't understand? How do you think that will feel?" he finishes, his belligerent tirade winding down until they almost need to lean in to hear the last bit.

"Then we celebrate her life with them and leave. Doctor, it doesn't hurt to know," Donna tries, seeing the stunned look on Rose's face.

"No, it hurts to say goodbye again," Rose says, understanding what the Doctor is really feeling. Hope is wonderful, but how often has it been snatched away. He's afraid.

"Stay in the TARDIS if it will be easier for you, but I need to go. If I can, I need to see her again. I didn't really get a chance to say goodbye. I was too upset and worried about our son," Rose says, laying a hand to her belly.

That move decides him. He may not like it, but he can't deny her the opportunity when she was robbed of it earlier, trying to protect their unborn child.

Stepping angrily away from the strut, the Doctor moves to the monitor and fights with it a moment before sending them through the landing sequence.

"Fine!" he yells at the ship. Slamming the materialisation switch home, they land less gently than before, Rose catching herself on the jump seat and the others against the railing. Ignoring them all, the Doctor moves with quick angry steps down the ramp and through the doors.

Darling assures Rose, that while Her Thief is being dramatic, She would never have allowed Her Wolf to be harmed. Rose, in turn, reassures Darling that she understands. The Doctor will be fine; he's just angry with…well, everything at the moment. He hasn't had the chance to process anything yet, and he's a little out of practise at hiding from his emotions, so he's feeling overwhelmed—Rose understands.

Following him out of the TARDIS, they find themselves in a hallway just down from the theatre. Running down the passage towards them are Cline and Gable, surprise evident on their faces…well, on Cline's face.

"Doctor, Rose! When we mentioned your returning, we expected it would be years, not the very next day, but welcome. What can we do?" Cline asks, a little out of breath.

_Ahh...that explains some of the anger,_ Rose thinks to herself. The Doctor was assuredly trying to land them moments after they left-not a day. Anything can happen in a day.

"We need to see Genny," Rose says, stepping past the fuming Doctor.

"She isn't with you? We assumed…"

"What did you assume? What happened?" the Doctor asks roughly as he takes a half step forward, his posture changing completely, appearing almost hostile.

"Tell us _exactly_ what happened Cline. _Please_," Rose pleads, laying a hand on the Doctor's elbow, feeling the explosion of white hot Hope flair through his mind.

As the others gather close, Cline explains that yesterday, he and Gable were discussing what would be best for the ceremony. As he was covering her with a sheet and laying her head on a pillow, the movement must have jostled something because a bubble of glowing gas was expelled from her mouth. She then opened her eyes and sat straight up. Coughing a moment, she spit out a small misshapen lump of metal.

"She said, 'Hello, boys,' and was up off the table like a shot. We were so surprised, Gable and I, that we had to run to try and catch up to her. But she outpaced us; amazing runner, that one." He grins at the chuckles and gasps coming from his listeners.

"Then, we heard her begin to power up the shuttle and so we followed the noise to the launch bay. We reached her through the comm system, but she wouldn't listen to reason," Cline tells a rapt audience. Even the Doctor is hanging on his every word now, clinging to Rose's hand. Dougie stands near, grinning like it's Christmas, and Donna is leaning back in Jack's arms, tears standing in her eyes.

"Did she say anything else, Cline?" Roses asks excitedly.

"Did she ever. I'll take her words with me to my grave, I will. She said, 'Sorry, Can't stop. What you gonna do, tell my Dad?'" The Doctor snorts his amusement as Cline continues, "Then I said, 'But where you goin' Genny?' Her reply Doctor, was cheeky and inspiring. We're thinking of having the robots carve it on the walls of the theatre," he says, beaming at them.

"Yes, of course. Great idea. Then what'd she say?" the Doctor asks impatiently.

"Then she said, 'Oh, I've got the whole Universe…planets to save, civilisations to rescue, creatures to defeat, and an awful lot of running to do.' That's it. Then she was gone, right out of the atmosphere," Cline finishes, looking at them expectantly.

Donna bursts into loud tears, turning into Jack's chest. "I told her all that! When she asked what they did for a livin'!"

"Thank you! Thank you so much!" Rose exclaims, first hugging a surprised Gable and then Cline. Turning, she throws herself into the Doctor's arms where he swings her around in joy.

"For once, Rose Tyler, I am so glad I was wrong. Thank you for proving me wrong," he says, kissing the tears from her cheeks.

"Well, if you would learn to listen to your better half, you daft man, we wouldn't be making a habit of this. Let's go find our daughter!" Rose says, dragging him back toward the TARDIS, waving and thanking Gable and Cline.

"We'll be back!" are Rose's parting words, as the sound of the Universe breathing fills the passage and they watch the TARDIS phase out of sight.

"Maybe we should add that to the walls, too. What do you think, Gable?"

"burble," the Hath replies.

"My thoughts exactly. Two exciting days in a row, hope it's not a trend."

"burble, burble."

"Me, too. Let's go see what they're making for supper."

* * *

"What do you mean you can't find her, Doctor?" Rose asks, bringing him another cup of tea.

"Exactly that, I can't follow her ion trail because of all the interference from the terraforming. There are so many processes taking place down there that it's masking all traces of her ship," he responds in frustration, scrubbing his face tiredly before accepting the tea from Rose. He's been working at this for several hours.

She slumps down on the jump seat, disappointed. "Do you wonder if she thought we'd abandoned her?" she asks quietly, staring into her cup.

Leaving the Console, he sits down next to her, pulling her close to his side. "Nah. You heard what she said. Those weren't the words of an abandoned girl. They were the words of an excited young woman, raring for her first adventure. We'll find her, Rose, or she'll find us. If she's as jeopardy friendly as you are, I'm sure we'll come across her at some point," he says with a grin, knowing he's about to get swatted.

"Oi!" Rose laughs and swats him on the arm, not wanting to disappoint him. "That goes for you, too. Never one to find trouble or make it more like, are you, Doctor?" she teases him, deliberately poking her tongue through her teeth.

"Oh, Rose Tyler," he sighs, hugging her before getting to his feet as an enormous yawn cracks his face open. "I don't know about you, but I think the companions have the right of it this time. Fancy a bit of sleeping, wife?"

"I think that's a capitol idea, husband. Lead the way," she replies as she tucks her hand through his offered arm, and they make their way through the humming corridors toward the sanctuary of their bedroom.

* * *

**A/N: Not dead, and they know it! I always thought it was so sad that Jenny lived and the Doctor didn't know, especially since they haven't brought her back yet in the show. And since FF and AU is all about fixing the wrongs that made us sad...here we go! -grin-**

**So many, many views and reads; thanks people; you're the best! Take the time to review and your the sprinkles on top! :-)**

**Friday's Chapter: Navigations Beyond Frustration/ The Doctor finally tries his hand at Manifesting with...interesting results. Cheers!**


	8. Navigations Beyond Frustration

**8 Navigations Beyond Frustration**

**SMASH!**

"Why does this have to be so bleeding difficult!?"

"Doctor, you're the one making it difficult. Jack and I aren't having any problems. I told you…"

"I know what you told me, but it doesn't make sense! Block transfer mathematics do _not_ need…"

"You've said all that already, and what we're doing is _like_ block transfer maths, but isn't exactly the same, and since you _refuse_ to follow my lead…YOU AREN'T GOING TO SUCCEED!"

Rose's frustration with the Doctor's unwillingness to work with them on the Spherical Gallifreyan is starting to really exasperate her. For three hours now, they have been trying the dish routine. Rose tried alone, showing him how it didn't work, and then she and Jack did it together and…voila—plate!

But no matter how many times she tried to explain why, the Doctor was insistent that it couldn't be that simple and not be doable on one's own. Teamwork not really being his strong suit, he continued to attempt to make more and more complicated Manifestations that refused to either exist at all or fully take shape. The Music Room (the specialised space the TARDIS originally made for them to practise in) is nearly an inch deep in abortive dust.

"But, Rooose, I..."

"Right. You've decided to be a bullheaded arse, and I've decided to be done for the day. The baby and I are tired. When you've decided to **stop** being a plonker, I'll be in the Library."

With a flip of her long blonde hair and a frown that could stop a Dalek in its tracks, Rose heads resolutely towards the door.

"See you later, Jack. Thanks for all the assistance," she says sweetly, giving him an eye roll and a small grin.

Not wanting to let on that he knows she's not as mad as she projecting, he gives a little wave as she leaves the room. Then, he turns his own gaze back to the fuming Time Lord in the centre of the space.

"You know you're being a prick, right?" Jack asks in a perfectly reasonable tone.

"I'll thank you, Harkness, to keep the commentary to a minimum," the Doctor snarks back.

"No, you'll thank me when you get over yourself and make this work. The problem is you _think_ you know what's supposed to happen, but you don't. **You** haven't done it. Rose and I have, and since we're successful, your ego is affronted and now you have to do it your way. So how's that workin' for ya' right now, Doc?" Jack finishes, rushing through what he wanted to get out before the Doctor could interrupt him.

Jack watches the Doctor grow preternaturally still as his comment plays out, his shoulders hunching. Jack knows his eyes will be dark with anger, and as he's about to consider an apology when the Doctor's posture relaxes in defeat and he slumps to the floor cross-legged. Jack smiles because unknowingly, the Doctor is mimicking the same posture Rose had adopted in the middle of her own first frustrating day filled with the same sorts of problems.

"Rose probably thinks I'm stupid," the Doctor grouses like 3 year-old.

"I seriously doubt that. Look, I'm sorry for …"

"No. You're right, Jack. I'm the one who's sorry. I was being an arrogant arse. I'm so lost in the big picture that I can't see all the small steps that lead to it. And I've been…distracted since Messaline," he says honestly, sifting some of the impossible dust through his fingers.

It had been three weeks since they'd left Messaline, running from planet, to space station, to outpost—all for nothing. No one had seen or heard of a Genny Tyler. The Doctor and Rose had less patience with their companion's quirks for a day or so after one of these failed landings, so earlier this week, they'd decided to stop trying so hard. They knew she was out there and eventually they'd find each other.

It was Rose who suggested they work on the Spherical Gallifreyan. She might be regretting that now.

"Did you know," the Doctor begins again, playing with the dust, "that with Block transfer maths, you could conceivably create planets and star systems, maybe even whole galaxies? Though the computing power needed for that would be beyond anything we could come up with. And here I am, can't even manage a teacup." Picking up a half-formed one from the floor, it gives out its little golden spark before falling to dust—like all the rest.

"But see that's the thing, Doctor. Your fancy maths _require_ the computing power. What you and Rose, and to a certain extent me, need to do is much more visceral. We are, in a way, sculpting with the creative stuff of the Universe itself," Jack explains, moving to sit in front of the Doctor. "I know that sounds pretentious and ridiculous, but it's the best I can do."

The Doctor blinks at him a few times, thinking furiously. Then an enormous grin splits his face.

"Jack, you're brilliant! That's exactly what it is, and what I wasn't seeing." Leaping to his feet, he begins pacing back and forth as he continues thinking out loud, kicking bits of debris out of his way. "That's exactly what I needed to hear…_the stuff of the Universe_, and we're sculpting it with focused intentions through song because that's how the TARDIS interfaced with Rose initially. Brilliant! I bet Dougie would be world class at this! Wait! Not until I figure it out, okay?" he asks earnestly, turning to look at Jack fully.

Laughing at him for being insecure while at the same time figuring at how to make planets with his mind, Jack steps forward with a cheeky grin and claps the Doctor on the shoulder. "Not a moment before, I promise," he intones solemnly. "Now, do you want to try again and bring the missus some tea in her new cup and saucer we're about to make?"

With an answering grin, the Doctor nods, taking a couple of steps away and humming a clear note. Jack comes in half a step lower, and the Doctor begins crafting his intention in golden circles and dots in the air of the room.

* * *

"Rose, I'm sorry I was being so awful. Will you forgive me? I made you tea," the Doctor says apologetically as he enters the Library and moves toward where Rose is sitting, looking out the large picture window.

Today the Gallifreyan landscape is in full sun without a cloud in the sky. The mountains are so crisp and clear in the distance, they almost look unreal…which technically they are…sort of.

It's been 2 hours since she left in a huff, and in that time, she's had a chance to work out with Darling why he's being so difficult, and to let the mood go. She's ready to forgive him. Not being able to find Genny had been stressful on all of them, but especially the Doctor. He still feels responsible for her death-like he does..idjit!

Turning to observe him as he makes his way across the room, she notices the lone teacup and saucer.

"Of course, I forgive you, you pillock. Oh! Where did these come from? I don't recognise them. Are you getting me preemptive presents, now?" she teases him, smiling softly at the earnest look on his face.

"Oh! Would that work? It's an excellent idea," he teases back, tense lines in his face easing into a matching smile at her forgiveness. "While they are a present, I didn't get them _for_ you, I _made_ them…well, Jack helped…a little," he admits with a sheepish grin.

"You did it! I knew you could!" Rose enthuses. Jack must have _finally_ gotten through to him. If he were here, she'd kiss him in relieved thanks.

"Oh, Doctor, they're wonderful, but how'd you get the design on it, too?" Rose questions him as she silently asks Darling to move the new Holiday dishes she'd made with holly leaves and berries on them to a cupboard the Doctor will never find on his own. He should feel like his accomplishment was special at the beginning.

"Isn't that great? I did it accidentally!" he chirps happily. "I was thinking about how a Rose on your cup would be nice while we were working, and then—Wham!—there it was," he tells her, preening.

That **is** something. It had taken her days to get it to work, and she'd been trying to do it on _purpose_ once Darling told her it was possible. Maybe she'll bring out the new dishes a little early after all-can't let him get too inflated.

Finally navigating the full cup and saucer across the Library with a minimum of spillage, he sets it down on the table next to Rose and sits next to her on the floor, resting his head in her lap and an arm around her back. They stay like that, with Rose running her fingers through his hair as they look out at the beautiful sky, and she enjoys her tea in its brand new cup.

At the door, Jack tiptoes away back to the Kitchen and the rest of the gang who are awaiting the progress report. He'd silently followed after the Doctor, eavesdropping and praying the making up would go well. Reaching the door of the Kitchen, he saunters in, arms raised, "Success! No dismemberment today!"

Dougie and Donna cheer and clap as Jack makes his way to sit next to Donna.

"The Spaceman had better learn to behave. Rose and I have talked about her mom's pregnancy, and she was a lunatic the last several months. Now I know Rose is only a third of the way but still," she says, taking a sip of her tea.

"Interesting, the women in my own species would seclude themselves for the final two months, only seen by other women. The men wouldn't know anything until their mates came out holding their child, or not holding as sometimes happened," Dougie tells them.

"Did you have a family, Dougie? I can't believe we never asked. I'm sorry," Donna says, feeling guilty at the lapse in her friendship.

"You have nothing to apologise for, dear Donna. I did not have a family other than my wife. I was the youngest of three sons, and was not required to reproduce like my older two brothers were. That was one of the reasons I left with Rethali, my wife. With one less obligation to stay, it was easier to leave with her and hope that things would improve between us. They did not, but I do not regret my decision," he says with a slightly sad smile. "If I had stayed, I would have died millennia ago, and I would not have met you. While I regret the decisions made by my people, my own decisions have brought me profound joy."

"We love you, too, Dougie," Jack replies, and they all enjoy their tea thinking of the couple in the other room.

* * *

"Rose, the TARDIS mentioned again that a visit to the Rift would be nice."

"Mmmm-hmm," Rose agrees.

Her eyes are closed and her fingers had stilled in his hair a few minutes earlier. She isn't sleeping, but she isn't precisely awake either. Specifically, if asked, she'd been very focused on the musings of their son.

Since Messaline, he's been very aware of the emotional states around him. It's one of the reasons she'd left the Music Room earlier when the Doctor was being an obstinate child. Their son had noticed and was considering kicking up a fuss.

There is no way for him to block against the daily ups and downs of the feelings in those surrounding his mum, so it's up to her…and his stubborn father to shield him from everyone else. And this is a fairly simple task that they had grown used to maintaining, but when those heightened emotions are coming from _both_ of his parents, it all becomes a little…intense.

Rose didn't want him aware of her observation, so she stayed at the fringes of his awareness. She had been watching him sing to himself in his little mind. _Sing_ was the best word she could come up with to describe the kaleidoscopic gyrations he would put his thoughts to. Today, it was a riotous dancing of colours, sensations, and feelings that were some of the most beautiful and strange designs she'd ever encountered. He was composing whole symphonies with the only ingredients he had to amuse himself. It was awesome and alien. Following his explorations was absorbing, and it took her a moment to come back to the Library and her husband's comment.

"Soooooo, about visiting the Rift, what do you think we should do about the others?" the Doctor asks carefully.

He isn't exactly sure how to approach the topic. In his opinion, there are two options…be honest or don't be honest. They could tell Jack, Donna, and Dougie what they're doing and where they're going and give them a choice to stay in the TARDIS or be let off on a trip. Or he and Rose could decide what was going to happen and execute it. That latter was much more his style, but that was before Rose was a permanent fixture in his life.

He was pretty sure she would lean toward the former option. Though, she had been less than honest with Jack the last time the TARDIS needed to be charged up. It was this uncertainty that finally made the Doctor voice the question. He was coming to understand that involving Rose in the decision making process _did_ actually make the final outcome easier. The alternatives were best left uncontemplated.

"Oh, I guess we have to let them know something's up," she comments with a sigh before focusing on his question. "It would be easy enough to let Donna and Jack know that we're going to be near Wilf and Sylvia. I'm sure Donna would like a visit, but we _are_ Dougie's only family," she says as she works her way through the options. "The only reason we're even having this conversation is Jack; he's the sticky wicket."

"Exactly," the Doctor agrees, glad that she understands the real issue.

"Well, that settles it then," Rose says in a tone of finality.

"Settles what? There wasn't more…did you say more?" he asks, picking his head up from her lap and looking at her quizzically. Checking his time sense, he isn't missing any time, so what did he just miss?

"No, it's just obvious. You take Jack into the bowels of the TARDIS on some maintenance mission and I'll keep Donna busy—maybe we'll go to the Pool. Tell him what the issues are, and ask him what he'd prefer to do," she says matter-of-factly.

"I don't see how any of that was obvious, especially when…" Pausing to take a breath, the Doctor decides to go with her obtuse logic; it's safer that way. "Anyway, why does it have to be me? You're so much better at the feely stuff than I am," he whinges. Pregnant Rose is a bit…unpredictable, it isn't always wise to point that out.

"Doctor, he's been a Time Agent. Jack will understand the options. Donna wouldn't, and I love her, but she wouldn't let it go until she completely understood. This is faster," Rose tells him succinctly. He can tell that she doesn't prefer the manoeuvring, but he has to agree that it will make the entire process more efficient.

"Bah! Fine," he replies resignedly, but in his usually mercurial fashion, he then gets excited by the possibilities. "Oh! I'll take him down to the Heart-tree. The leads to the dimensional storage nodes have been acting a bit strangely since Dougie cleaned out Pandora, and I've been meaning to check on them. I'll take them both! Dougie will _love_ the Heart-tree." Clapping his hands together, he beams at her in excitement. Rose can see how much he's going to enjoy showing off another part of his beloved ship.

"You could show them the Eye, if you're feeling the need to be really impressive," she teases him.

"Rose Tyler," he admonishes, getting to his feet and holding out a hand to help her up as well. "There's no reason to show away."

"Oi! Like that's ever stopped you."

"Cheeky, cheeky…come 'ere; I'll show ya impressive," he purrs at her, pulling her close.

Sharing a not so casual kiss, they stop when they need to catch their breaths, despite the respiratory bypass. Resting their foreheads together, they enjoy each other a moment. And then they enjoy a moment with their son as he notices their pleasure and reaches out for some of his own. Laughing, they have a shared moment of love before leaving the Library to join their companions in the Kitchen.

* * *

**A/N: As always, thank you so much for reading and following. You're all lovely. I really appreciate the reviews. Getting a little feedback is always nice. :-) **

**We're heading toward the next adventure now, but first a stop at the Rift and an uncooperative Future Jack. Monday's Chapter-Confessions.**


	9. Confessions

**9 Confessions**

All the planning and manoeuvring came to nothing. The trip to the Rift in Wales had not one single glimpse of their Future Jack or his team. The Doctor and Rose busied themselves on projects in the TARDIS all night with Darling ready to alert them if Jack was feeling sneaky, but he was so sneaky they never saw him.

Rose decided that it wasn't really fair. The Doctor had talked to their current Jack in the bowels of the TARDIS. Jack had instantly figured out that they'd been to the Rift before, and Rose had apologised for deceiving him at the time. He understood though. It was only his second or third day with her and they were still trying to get the Doctor back; he probably wouldn't have told him either. He did appreciate that they let him know this time, but pointed out that if the TARDIS only needed a few hours, just go while they slept again…easy peasy.

Rose and the Doctor had been working on Future Jack's adapter in their moments of free time for the last several months, and they had a prototype to try out. It was very hard to test without the subject handy, though, so they were anxious to try it out. It was also currently large and cumbersome, but the Doctor assured her that the lump of blinking lights, wires, and spinning bits would be greatly reduced once they knew it worked.

"Ahhh, right. So what else does it do, then? I know you want to show off. Does it pop corn or make fizzy drinks?" Rose asks, arms crossed and an indulgent smile on her lips as she gazes fondly at her mad-scientist husband…complete with sexy brainy specs and sticky-up hair.

"Rose Tyler, you mock my consummate genius," he remonstrates. "Hmmm…fizzy drinks; that's a brilliant idea. I wonder if I super-charged the arcon coil…"

"Oi! I was kidding you daft man. Seriously, it can't be this huge and only produce the waveform I gave you."

"Wellll, it might have a couple of other capabilities…at the moment," he tells her with a sidelong glance.

"So spill. What does it do?" Now she's added toe tapping to the crossed arms. The Doctor is pretty sure that means she's escalating the potential for disapproval, and it's that disapproval that has him prevaricating.

"Alright, you see it has to be this large currently so that I can access the areas that need work later once we fine tune it. And since all that space just seemed to be going to waste…I mean really, look here I could stick my entire foot in there…so with the added space…not that I would put my foot there, no need for feet in the adapter…I gave it the ability to go 'Ding!'…and then I thought…"

"Ding? You made it go…ding? Doctor, the whole point is that it should be unnoticeable. At this rate he's going to look like a Ghostbuster trying to wear that thing."

"Ghostbusters! I love those guys. Egon's my favourite," he says with a daft grin. "But to get back to the point, I made it go 'Ding!' so that I'd would know it's working while we're still testing it. I don't think he could wear it at the moment anyway, more of a table sitter."

The wince that follows the end of this statement is evidence that he knows she doesn't want to hear that. Attempting to forestall the next outburst, he hurries to explain, "Rose, I promise the finished product will be small enough to fit in his hand, probably smaller, but there are too many variables at the moment and I included them in the prototype to capitalise on the small number of tests we can make."

"Alright, I can see the logic in that, but you know we can stop by almost anytime we want," she points out, eyebrow raised.

"Timelines. We're crossing our current time stream as it is. The TARDIS can only give us so many times and places that we aren't likely to cause trouble just by being here. Even fewer when we want to only come at night, when his team is least likely to poking their noses in," he explains while he has both hands buried in the project.

"Why don't we visit in the far past, then? Isn't the Rift a geological feature as well? It was probably here," Rose points out, confused as to why the timeframe they could visit seems so inconvenient.

"Good question, and it was here, geologically and energetically, but it wasn't active yet. In fact, it was quite sealed and dormant," he says hesitantly, giving her that sidelong glance again.

Startled by the realisation, Rose suddenly knows why. "Gwyneth! She opened the Rift, and now it's like an open wound in the fabric of the Universe through time and space, isn't it? It bleeds out energy we can use, but also _other things_," she guesses astutely. "That's why Jack's Torchwood base is here."

"Yes," the Doctor agrees, nodding, but remaining silent about the "_other things_" that Rose mentioned. He knows what could fall through time and space. It was his fault the Rift was opened in the first place. If he'd listened to Rose…well, he's trying to be better, take that extra second her intuition affords him and use it. After many centuries, foolish arrogance is a hard habit to break, though.

"I bet Jack might have something that would help in his vault. All the Torchwood bases had them in Pete's World; I'm sure it's the same here. He might have parts and pieces falling through the Rift that would be very helpful for the TARDIs or the adapter. We should send him a message," she finishes excitedly.

"And how do you propose we do that? Leave a sticky note on the side of his secret base?" the Doctor asks, rolling his eyes at her.

Smacking him on the shoulder for mocking her, she adopts the full-on Jackie pose, hands on hips and basilisk gaze at the ready. "Remember that part in my memories, where I released all of our Jack's memories for Future Jack, when you were still lost?" Thinking intently a second, he then nods hesitantly at her, so she continues, "You could determine the next time we can visit and tell our current Jack. Future Jack will know, and he can send his team away so we can get in, test the adapter, see what sorts of goodies he might have stashed, and get out no one the wiser." The self-satisfied grin on her face tells him that she's been working on this idea for a while.

"Our own self-completing paradox; I like it. You, Rose Tyler are, brilliant. It's the reason I married you, you know." Leaning in for a kiss, Rose lets him come to her, wrapping his long arms around her middle, disarming the Jackie Tyler Stance of Disapproval.

"Is that right? It wasn't for my fine arse," she says, reaching down and squeezing his. "Or my fabulous hair," she says, moving her hands to his and raking her nails across his skull as she runs her fingers through the soft brown strands. His eyes had gone wide when she grabbed his bum, now they slam shut and a breathy sigh escapes his slightly opened mouth.

Grinning to herself, seeing the effect she has on him, she leans in close blowing over his lips lightly, but not actually touching them yet. "Or perhaps it's the power of my mighty Tyler grin that enticed you to marry me," she whispers against his lips, tapping them with the tip of her tongue. She chuckles low in her throat when he follows her, his eyes still closed as she pulls back a little from the not quite kiss. The small growl of frustration that comes from him is the exact reaction she's been working toward. "But I really think…" she lightly kisses his nose after trailing off.

Opening his eyes and gazing at her with longing and more than just affection, he tightens his grip on her hips, locking her to him and preventing an escape she's not actually planning.

"What do you really think, Rose Tyler?" he says, low and with a rumbled hmm as he slides a hand up her spine to cup the back of her head. He'd said her full name on purpose, knowing she loved the way it sounded coming from him.

"I think…it's because…I was the one…smart enough to ask," she says, enunciating each word and punctuating them with light kisses to his cheeks and chin.

"Minx!" he exclaims. Laughing, she half-heartedly struggles against him, giggling. Tightening his grip on her, he lifts her effortlessly and strides through the open door between his study and their bedroom, his intent perfectly evident.

* * *

A couple of hours later, they are about to prepare for departure from the Rift with still no sign of Future Jack or his Torchwood team.

Lying in bed, Rose is tucked into the Doctor's side, lazily drawing circles in his chest hair, enjoying each other's quiet company—these moments of stillness so rare.

"Rose Tyler, there are as many reasons to marry you as there are stars in the sky," he says quietly out of nowhere, gazing up at the Orion Nebula the TARDIS has chosen for their dome tonight. "I fantasised about us bonding for ages."

"You did not!" she exclaims in a breathy half-laugh, coming up on her elbow so she can see if he's serious.

"I did," is the soft reply accompanied by the relaxed smile that he saves for her. Stuffing an arm behind his head, he props himself up a bit to see her better.

"Since when, then?" she asks, her curiosity getting the better of her. She'd thought about a lot of things where the Doctor was concerned. She'd fantasised a lot, as well, experiencing many lonely and unsatisfying nights with only her charms to abate the frustrating need. But marriage, of any sort had not actually occurred to her until much later, Krop Tor probably.

Humming a moment, thinking, his eyes then slide back to hers. "Since the day your father died." At Rose's gasp, he forestalls her comment so he can explain. "I know that seems ridiculous; we were so new to each other, but seeing how that day affected you and how brave you were for him in the end. It struck me, how amazing and resilient you are, Rose Tyler. I never wanted you to have to go through what your mum did. I thought about being the father to your children that would most likely outlive you and them." The sad smile that accompanies this confession pulls at her hearts.

"I'm sure that thought scared the hell out of you," she responds smiling at him softly so he knows she isn't teasing or judging, just observing.

"Yes, indeed, but most of my thoughts scared the hell out of me at that point. Running hot and cold, I was…mania or anger. You're the one who brought the stability. I would never have managed to get this far without you. I'm not saying that to be defeatist, I just know how I felt. I was too much a coward to kill myself, but I wouldn't have stopped it from happening and I would have chosen to not regenerate if it were possible. That's what you changed, Rose Tyler. When I said you saved this old man's life, I meant literally."

"Oh, Doctor, there's always something worth living for." Twining her hand in his, she allows her energy to completely envelope his, weaving her essence in and around his own, thrumming their marriage bond like a harp string. The shining star of their sleeping son, softly pulsing within the cocoon of energies. Pulling her close, they indulge in this state of perfect intimacy.

* * *

"So, do you have a destination in mind for us today?" Rose asks later as they're getting dressed for the new day and a new adventure.

"Actually, I do. There's a space station out in Andromeda that I've been meaning to visit. Last time I was there I was able to find some Gallifreyan manufactured parts. We'd traded with them until the War made it impossible; but the last time I was there was well before the War." He'd still been sporting a cape the last time he'd visited. It was just after Jo's departure, and he'd needed a little pick-me-up after she decided to remain on Earth.

"Really? Let me guess—was it cape or scarf?" she asks, grinning at him mischievously.

"Well, if you're going to put it that way…cape," he replies, sticking his tongue out at her.

"Ahhh…so dashing. I'm sure you had quite the way with the ladies." Rose knows she's prodding the bear, but he gets so affronted and it's hysterical.

"Of course not!" he scoffs indignantly. "I had absolutely no way with the ladies. There were rules about that sort of thing, not that it even occurred to me, truthfully…at the time…anyway." Looking over at Rose as he's tying his trainers, he can tell that she's winding him up on purpose.

"You're making fun of me, Rose Tyler," he pouts at her.

"Of course, I am. There are rules about this sort of thing," she replies cheekily.

Laughing, he stands and pulls her to him for one last thorough snog before going about the favourite task of annoying the companions awake so they can get the day started.


	10. In the Year 4120

**10 In the Year 4120**

"Okay then, let's have it; where are we, Spaceman?" Donna asks, gazing wide-eyed around at all the bustling humanoids and more interesting looking aliens. They'd all just exited into a teeming hive of activity. Snug against a wall, the TARDIS is as unobtrusive as possible, and fortunately receives not a single look from the passersby.

"This is the year 4120, and we are on the Space Station Alpha Epsilon orbiting the planet Aristos in the Cleomides system of the Andromeda Galaxy," he tells her with a smug grin at her surprise.

"This is the year 4120?"

"Yup."

"I'm standing on an _alien space station_, orbiting an _alien planet_, in the year 4120."

"I know, pretty great, yeah?" he says with added glee, enjoying her excitement. "Remember, it was 6012 on Messaline."

"I've done planets," she sniffs dismissively. "_This_ is a space station! Where's a window? This thing has windows, right?" she asks enthusiastically. "I've got to see this. Jack, come on. You've done these before. Show me a window." And taking Jack by the hand, Donna drags him off in the direction of one of the curving walls of the station.

"Are you going to _let_ them wander off?" Rose asks, looking at the Doctor incredulously.

Another smug grin and he reaches into one of his impossibly deep pockets and pulls out…a phone. "Nah, I made sure they have their phones. Brilliant, I am."

"Aren't you just? Well, Dougie, I guess it's just...us? Dougie?" Looking around, Rose thinks she spots his head above the crowd several meters off.

"Doctor? Is Dougie all right?" It's strange for him to wander off. He's previously been the only companion to never do so—quite the achievement. The Doctor would sometimes (annoyingly) boast about it when any of the rest of them would get more than 30 steps away.

"Dougie? What's wrong with Dougie?"

Rolling her eyes at his obliviousness, Rose grabs his hand and starts weaving her way through the throng to reach Dougie's side.

For his part, Dougie is standing in the middle of the crush of people moving in and out of the docking area, like a rock in turbulent water. Not even realising it, the populace breaks apart to avoid him. Dougie's eyes are closed, and he has both hands pressed to either side of his handsome face. Usually his expression is one of serenity, but at this moment it's pinched. And if Rose was to guess, he's in pain.

"Dougie? What's wrong?" she asks, touching his arm gently to get his attention.

"Rose," he says almost distractedly. "There you are. I…" Looking around himself in confusion, he continues, "I…thought I saw, no heard… Rose, something is wrong here." The sudden intense clarity in his eyes is a little frightening, and the Doctor moves protectively to Rose's side on instinct.

"Dougie, what is it? I'm not sensing anything out of place. It's too busy here at the shuttle bay to check for time disruptions. Let's move away from the terminals," the Doctor says to him slowly and clearly, eyes never leaving his face. "Maybe we should head back to the TARDIS, Rose." Something isn't quite right with their friend and it's making him uneasy.

Taking Dougie's arm the Doctor begins leading him back toward the TARDIS with Rose following close behind, worried for their friend. His confusion, accompanied by an almost manic intensity is so unlike Dougie that Rose immediately shares in the unease she's picking up from her husband.

Reaching out with her mind, Rose sees if she can pick anything up anything in the area that would disturb Dougie. Opening up is a bad idea though, as the station has thousands of people on it. The immediate roar that accompanies the lowering of her mental shields, causes her to stumble a moment before she slams them back into place. Rubbing her temples, she quickens her pace to catch up. She has no idea what he could have possibly picked up amongst all that, but she wasn't going to try again! They knew he was much more sensitive than they were. Hopefully the TARDIS can help.

With the TARDIS in sight, Dougie abruptly halts with a low cry, the Doctor stumbling at the suddenly stop. Dougie, then suddenly snaps erect and gazing around himself, as if he's completely unaware of the past few seconds.

Shaking his head in an attempt to clear his thoughts, Dougie says, "Doctor, Rose! I seem to have been confused for a moment, forgive me."

Reaching up to rub a spot between his eyes, he looks back to them, a bit embarrassed but smiling. "I do not know what came over me. One moment I was taking in all the life surrounding us, and then I thought I heard…" As he tries to recall what exactly he heard, his eyes lose focus again, but only for a second and then he's back. If not for the previous couple of minutes, it wouldn't have seemed odd.

"I do not know exactly what I heard. I apologise if I alarmed you," Dougie says with genuine concern in his eyes.

Stepping in to give him a hug, Rose reassures him that everything's fine. Catching him up on Donna and Jack's exploring, they decide to go ahead and explore the expansive corridors to see what the station has to show them.

Dougie's sensitivity has impressed them before, and he's given them warnings and intuitions that have changed entire potential outcomes on previous adventures—they trust him.

After lunch in the cantina, where they're able to eat while listening to an all non-human band play amusing interpretations of classic Earth music, they make their way through the various shops. The Doctor must visit each and every one of them, muttering about the possibility of TARDIS parts. As there are several hundred little shops; this could take awhile. Rose and Dougie are preemptively exploring the other stands and stores near the one the Doctor is in, hoping to speed up the process.

Rose has just returned to the Doctor's side after failing to find anything in the candy store next door, to find him muttering to her, as if she hadn't left. He can't see her rolling her eyes at him and grinning at how adorable he is when he's all distracted.

"You never know, Rose, where the next likely gem will come from. Could be anything, anywhere. I'm trying to remember the shop I located the last time I was here. Why, one time I found…"

Seeing Dougie go by the doorway quickly and intent on something, she moves to the hallway to see what grabbed his interest.

"Doctor!"

Freezing at the urgency in Rose's tone, the Doctor hurriedly makes his way to her. She's wide-eyed with a little fear tinging their link and looking past a stiff and silent Dougie as she motions for him to hurry up.

Reaching her side, she leans in to whisper urgently in his ear, "Doctor, there are Ood here!"

Ood. Oh dear. It hadn't occurred to him about the Ood. Of course there are Ood here. He's in the right place at the right time—42nd Century and dead smack in the middle of the Tri-Galactic Empire.

Still feeling a bit guilty about the Ood he'd had to leave on Krop Tor, he looks over Rose's shoulder to see that there's a human salesman putting his charges through their…"paces."

Having the poor Ood behave like trained dogs bothers the Doctor, but they aren't his affair. They seem to come to this way willingly and he tries not to judge. A look of distaste mars his expression, though, before he turns back to Rose to reassure her that these Ood won't be anything like the ones they'd met the last time.

Dougie, on the other hand, is rigid, his gaze locked on the 15 or 20 Ood that are standing by waiting to be purchased for…"50 Credits…They're a bargain!"

"It's alright, Rose. The Beast is gone," The Doctor tells Rose, pulling her close. "He can't control these Ood. On their own they're generally harmless…"

The words barely leave his mouth before five of the waiting Ood turn as one to face Dougie with glowing red eyes and chant, "The Circle. It must be broken."

Just as their keeper whips around to see what's going on, they've already resumed their places and their previously meek and blinking gazes, no longer looking at Dougie.

"You just had to open your mouth," Rose huffs at the Doctor, who is opening and closing this same mouth in a lovely fish impression, his mind spinning at what just happened before it snaps shut, his lips pressed into a flat unhappy line.

Stepping to Dougie's side, Rose finds him with his eyes pressed tightly shut and trembling slightly.

"Dougie? Are you okay?" she asks, reaching out to lay a reassuring hand to his arm. At the contact this time, he reacts sharply, flinching away from her.

"Don't touch me!" he cries, taking a couple of faltering steps sideways. Clutching his skull, he moans low in his throat. "Rose. Did you hear it? The pain…they're suffering." Leaning against a bulkhead, Dougie moans again, still holding his head.

Startled, Rose looks over at the Doctor, to see he's mirroring her expression.

_-What the hell is going on, Doctor?-_

_-I don't have a clue-_

_-Did you hear anything? I didn't-_

_-No, and I've never seen Dougie react violently…well, about anything…even Daleks!-_

_-I know! I'm worried, Doctor.-_

_-Me, too, Rose, but let's try to give him some space. The Ood _**_are_**_ telepathic. Maybe they function at a frequency more like his own, and he is more susceptible to them, to what ever made them react that way-_

_-Right…and tell me how that's a good thing? Something is talking **to** Dougie **through** the Ood-just like on Krop Tor!-_

_-Ahhh, Right. Now that I said that, I think we need to get back to the TARDIS…ASAP. She'll block anything from trying to get to him. Call Jack and have them meet us there. Tell them it's Dougie and it's urgent. I'll keep an eye on him-_

_-Okay- _

Pulling out her superphone, Rose moves a little way off to have the conversation where Dougie won't hear her. It only takes a minute to convey to Jack what's happening and he assures her they'll meet them back at the TARDIS. Hanging up, she turns back…and they're gone. Looking around, she sees the Doctor and Dougie—moving closer to the Ood.

"Doctor!"

* * *

Dougie is fixated on the Ood. Slowly, he begins moving through the people toward them. He shrugs off the hands of someone trying to stop him. All he can hear is the singing—the low, powerful, sad, and suffering Song coming from the Ood. Swatting away the annoying thing that is bothering him, he makes his way to the front of the crowd watching the sales pitch, and comes to a stop—waiting.

* * *

Twice the Doctor is unable to keep Dougie from advancing. He's much stronger than the Doctor realised. That could be problematic, especially if it had been Rose he'd just tossed aside. Bushing his trousers off, Rose reaches him looking scared and confused.

"Jack and Donna are on their way to meet us at the TARDIS. How are we going to get Dougie there? He just tossed you like a rag doll."

"So I noticed, thank you. I have a few ideas that will be effective, but I'm not looking forward to using them in public."

"Well, I hope your Jedi tricks work, because I have a feeling this is about to get weirder. Look!"

Reaching the front of the press near to Dougie, Rose and the Doctor see the Ood begin to turn away from the spokesman and face their friend. The ones that turn all have glowing red eyes. They haven't moved yet or said a word, but they are watching.

The crowd, sensing that something isn't right, starts to break up; people leaving in ones and twos. All of them are looking over their shoulders as they flee, uncertain as to why they felt they needed to be elsewhere, but all determined to put distance between themselves and that corridor.

Furious, the man who had been working the crowd turns to see what has everyone on edge. Seeing the eyes of his Ood, he pulls out a radio and yells into it something about red-eye and another entire batch.

Rose doesn't know what he means, but she feels the tension in the room ratchet up another notch. She doesn't know what's going on, but the current of unease is affecting everyone around them.

Nearly screaming at the light touch on her shoulder, she whips around to see Jack by her side, looking serious.

"Sorry, Rosie, I used my vortex manipulator to pop me close. I figure if we can grab Dougie, I can land us in front of the TARDIS—Donna's waiting by the doors. So what's going on? I have a really bad feeling."

"Something is trying to communicate through the Ood," the Doctor says, still watching. "They seem to be targeting Dougie, but so far…"

All twenty Ood now focus on Dougie, who has stepped forward, holding himself rigid but visibly trembling. The company man is still rattling away into his radio, beginning to look panicky. As one, the red-eyed Ood raise their hands to chest height, and say in unison, "The Circle must be broken. The Circle must be broken, so we can Sing."

As they begin to speak, Dougie falls to his knees with a low cry, weaving back and forth, his arms wrapped around his head. From the hallways around them, the Doctor, Jack, and Rose hear the running of many booted feet heading their direction.

"Damn! I hate it when I'm right. Rosie, get back; boots mean guns," Jack says, pulling out a blaster and moving to Dougie's side careful not to touch him yet.

The Doctor immediately moves between the Ood and Dougie.

"Circle, right…we need to break it. That sounds like a good plan," the Doctor says reasonably, quickly trying to get their attention. "Let's go do that then. Where's the Circle and we'll all just go nice and quietly before the humans get here with the big guns. Jack, dammit, put the gun away!"

"Too late, Doctor," Rose calls. Looking over his shoulder, he sees Rose backing toward him and Jack, arms raised.

Moving again, to put himself between the crowd of men in black carrying _really_ big guns and everyone else, the Doctor isn't pleased with the limited options available. He doesn't get two steps before there's an incoherent yowling behind him.

Whipping around, he sees Dougie struggling against Jack, who's managed put him in a choke hold. Dougie is trying to stand and shake Jack off his back. His head bowed and he's growling like a mad bull. Rose is hovering nearby, but she can't think of how to help.

Looking up suddenly, Dougie's eyes are also glowing blood red. "**THE CIRCLE MUST BE BROKEN**," he screams, spittle flying, and trying to reach behind himself for Jack. Seeing Rose, Dougie takes two enraged steps in her direction—_that_ gets the Doctor moving.

Hearing the cocking of weapons behind them and knowing he has only seconds to save his family, he knows there isn't time for the techniques he'd mentioned earlier. Running directly to Dougie, the Doctor punches him twice, as hard as he can—once to the temple and once to the sternum. Like felling a tree, Dougie is instantly unconscious, dropping to the floor. Grabbing Rose and tucking her close, the Doctor sits on Dougie and wraps an arm around Jack. Rose wraps her other arm around him as Jack slams his hand to the Vortex manipulator, triggering the sequence as the first bullets begin flying, cutting the now docile Ood down where they stand.

* * *

**A/N: We begin the Ood arc! I know the Whoniverse labels them as monsters, but I've always really liked the Ood. I think they're more victims of circumstances, and no more monsters than any human that can go mental. There are seven more chapters in this arc of the story before we move to an original adventure. I'm still writing away, and Ash is beta'ing as fast as she can.**

**Friday's chapter is: It's Only a Wee Scratch**

**Thanks so much for the follows and reviews. I'm glad you're enjoying it as much as I am writing it. Cheers!**


	11. It's Only a Wee Flesh Wound

**11 It's Only a Wee Flesh Wound**

Seeing her friends appear in a flash of blue and very uncomfortable heap in front of the TARDIS, has Donna scrambling to see who's hurt and who isn't.

"Oh…mmmmnnnn…I'm gonna…" Scrambling to her knees, Rose scoots away to be sick. Traveling via Vortex Manipulator while pregnant will **_NEVER_** happen again. Their son is voicing his own displeasure as well by raising a ruckus that nearly makes her sick again.

"Donna, we're good; help Rose," the Doctor tells Donna urgently. He hadn't had time to worry about Rose traveling that way while pregnant, and her obvious distress is being broadcast rather loudly.

"Jack, let's get Dougie into the TARDIS and to the Zero room. You get his feet." Sparing a glance to Rose, he sees that she seems to be okay, leaning on Donna and nodding.

Lifting the comatose Tanu is more of a chore than he would have thought. At 2.5 meters, Dougie moves lightly on his feet, but unconscious, he's more than a little difficult.

Helpfully, noticing their troubles, the TARDIS manifests a null-grav stretcher just within Her doors. Relieved, the Doctor and Jack both thank Her silently as they gruntingly get Dougie loaded on the floating cot.

"Jack, do you…"

"Go. I can get this myself, now. Rose needs you," Jack says, nodding toward the doors as he begins pushing Dougie into the interior of the ship.

Rushing back outside, Rose is just trying to stand as the Doctor reaches her.

"Here, I'll help. Rose, I'm so sorry; there just wasn't time." His worry for her has him feeling guilty and edgy all at once.

"S'ok…" she slurs, a little dizzy as she stands. "Couldn't be helped, but the baby is pissed about…Doctor! There's blood on your coat!" she cries out, looking at the red on her hand; she'd felt the sticky wetness when he slid his arm beneath her shoulders.

Now that she's pointed it out, he does feel a sting across his right shoulder. Testing it, the shoulder moves well though the discomfort increases.

"I'm alright love, must just be a scratch. See? Everything works fine." Wiggling his fingers at her to prove his point. No smile replaces the worry, though—Rose has had too much bright red blood on her hands recently. "Maybe Dougie caught me in the struggle," he says breezily, trying to distract her from her worry for him as well.

He's much more concerned for her and the baby. Thankfully they'd only traveled spatially. He doesn't even want to contemplate what might have happened if they'd needed to move through the Vortex with nothing but the Manipulator. The TARDIS is shielded against the Vortex; specifically designed to protect Her inhabitants from the radiation, temporal fluctuations, and other hazards presented by the unique conditions inherent in time travel. Exerting an extreme amount of control to keep from shuddering at the thought, he continues helping Rose toward the TARDIS. A small army of cleaning bots has already descended on the mess in the hall, and scurry in all directions as they finish.

Entering the TARDIS has a profound effect on Rose, as Darling begins singing to the child, and he calms almost instantly.

_/God! Darling, thank you so much!/_ Rose sends Her, relieved to have one less discomfort at the moment.

**_~Do not worry my Wolf. The little Thief is well. He was just scared~_** She reassures Rose.

Pushing another wave of nausea down as Donna and the Doctor help her to the Infirmary, Rose tries to send some gratitude to the TARDIS. Instead, she finds herself the recipient of a bolstering wave of strength from the Ship. Feeling much better, Rose is able to help herself up on the exam bed so the Doctor can get a good look at her.

Pulling over the scanner, he flips it on as he directs Donna to certain cupboards or drawers for items, including some anti-emetics and some gauze pads to clean the graze on his shoulder.

With a soft '_ding_' that pulls a small smile to Rose's lips, the scan is done.

"Everything looks fine, Rose. No issues at all; well, except that I need to add a little more iron to your daily vitamin." Smiling at her over the screen, he turns his attention back to the scanner. "He's perfect, not a scratch on either of you," he tells her, reaching out to squeeze her hand.

"That was way too close, Doctor." Another second or two could have led to much greater injury. The thought makes her shiver in dread.

Sensing her thoughts as well as hearing her words, he opens his mouth to begin a "Nah, that wasn't so bad" ramble, but closes it against the innocuous words. She's right, and there's so much more at stake now. Their near loss on Messaline brought a certain clarity about their way of life that they haven't actually addressed yet.

Nodding instead, he replies, " Yes, but we made it. I can't say the same for the Ood. I seem to keep letting the poor blighters down," he muses unhappily.

"What's an Ood?" Donna asks as she lays out the clean gauze and antiseptic pads to clean the Doctor's shoulder. "Your turn, Sunshine. Jacket and shirt off."

"Donna, I think I can…"

Interrupting his statement with her own, Donna says, "Pay attention and let someone else help you for once? I thought so too, now shift." The flat look in her eyes and the concern she can't help but project, clicks his teeth shut on the rude comment he was about to make, and grudgingly he starts peeling out of his ruined suit jacket, shirt, and vest.

Once exposed, Donna can see that the wound is definitely a graze, it's only the first few layers of skin that've been singed off and the bleeding has already stopped, but it's still some 15 cm long. Soaking a pad in the antiseptic, Donna begins gently cleaning the wound. The Doctor's sharp intake is a testament that it does indeed still hurt.

"Might sting a bit. So distraction…tell me, what's an Ood?"

Through gritted teeth, he begins to explain the Ood as Jack comes through the door, nodding to the Doctor, letting him know he got Dougie situated. Looking over to Rose, she smiles and gives him a little wave that she's fine while the Doctor continues relaying what little he knows about the Ood.

"Generally humanoid, pale; look a bit like they're chewing squids, and they speak through a lit translation globe. They're usually extremely docile. I don't know where their home world is, but at some point in the 39th Century you lot discovered them and began parceling them out around the Tri-Galactic Empire as servants. The Ood seem to _need_ to serve, and they rarely cause any problems. I have seen them peripherally many times, but never interacted with them. I find their willful slavery distasteful, and I'm ashamed to say I had written them off years ago," he confesses looking uncomfortable with his own sentiments.

"Rose and I experienced them up close and personal on an impossible planet called Krop Tor, but they were being controlled by a malignant force. That was the first time I ever saw the 'red-eye.' They are very receptive to telepathy—scarily receptive. And I think these were being controlled as well. And whatever it is, it's powerful enough to effect Dougie, which adds a whole extra suitcase of very not good," he finishes.

"Do you want the dermal regenerator, Doc?" Jack asks, holding up the instrument.

Looking over the wound on his shoulder, he shrugs once. "Nah. It's shallow enough. It'll be mostly gone in 24 hours." Gingerly pulling his vest back on, he leaves the shirt and jacket off, as he hops down.

"What do you think the entity meant by the circle needing to be broken? And Dougie said something about them suffering; he said he could hear them," Rose states, remembering Dougie's distress. "Do you think that maybe they aren't entirely so willing? If they're calling for help, we can't keep ignoring them, Doctor."

"And what the hell is willful slavery? Who would wake up one day and say, 'Oh hey, control my entire life…please and thank you!?'" Donna asks, looking defiantly confused. "You heard of 'em, Jack?"

"Heard of the Ood? Yes, but they weren't kept anymore by my time. I've never really paid attention to them. More important fish in the sea, I guess," he says with a shrug.

"Well, I don't like it. I want to find out how voluntary it really is; if the Ood really have a say in it. Can the TARDIS figure out where the signal or whatever was coming from? Maybe we could follow it," she says stubbornly.

"I agree with Donna," Rose says from the exam bed with determination. "Something isn't right, and Dougie's the only one that seems to have noticed. We're going to start caring enough to find out what's going on. Maybe we can tap into the Station's systems to see if any of the instruments picked up a signal," she suggests, trying to think of things to try.

"We do not have to do any of that, my friends. I know where we need to go," Dougie says entering the Infirmary slowly and in obvious discomfort.

"Dougie!" all four of them say at once, causing him to wince and bring a hand to his temple as he leans against the doorframe. The Doctor and Jack tense up, but Dougie raises his other hand in a placating gesture as he steps further into the Infirmary.

"I can't believe the TARDIS let you out of the Zero Room," the Doctor says with a look of consternation. Mentally he receives a wave of concern for Dougie from Her—obviously there is more going on here than he had thought.

"I have much to atone for, nearly attacking my hosts would qualify as a mortal offence amongst my people. The TARDIS understands my need to see you," he states sadly.

"Dougie, don't be daft! You were possessed or something by an entity that is horrendously powerful. You aren't to blame for that. And you didn't hurt anyone. We are much more concerned for you at the moment," Rose says, her face set and determined. Looking at Jack and the Doctor, she dares them silently to disagree with her—neither does. They nod in agreement at her words.

"Whatever it was can't get you in here, Dougie. The TARDIS can keep out any telepathic entities that might be trying to get in," the Doctor tells him, striding forward and gripping his forearm, smiling. "Are you injured? I got a little singed, but nothing worth mentioning." Rose and Donna both roll their eyes at the fact that he did anyway.

"I feel like I have had a planet stuffed in my head and then abruptly removed; but other than sore, I believe I am more or less physically well, thank you, Doctor. I am very sorry for my earlier behaviour," he says this last quietly, so only the Doctor can hear.

"I know. What's done is past. We're all safe, that's the most important thing," the Doctor replies, just as quietly. In a normal tone, he continues, "Besides, I'd miss you. Who else can reach all those recessed areas for me, or pass me spanners when I'm in compromising positions?" the Doctor tells him, pleased with the smile he pulls from his rueful patient. "Hop up here, and we'll see what's going on. I did hit you twice pretty hard. I want to make sure I didn't damage anything."

Starting the scanner again, the Doctor helps Rose down from her perch, giving Jack a significant look. Feeling much better, Rose opts to shower and get cleaned up. Then it's the Kitchen, because now she's ravenous. Patting Dougie's arm on her way by, she smiles at him and hopes he feels better. Returning her smile, he nods at her as the machine makes its way up his body toward his head.

Understanding the Doctor's need to question Dougie alone, Jack suggests he and Donna start cooking so Rose doesn't have to. Agreeing with the logic of that and pleased to do more, Donna waves at Dougie on her way by, discussing the merits of stir-fry versus pasta for supper. Jack gives him an understanding and lopsided smile as he leaves, but is focused on Donna's questions.

As the scanner nears its completed cycle, the Doctor bustles around the bed, pulling out various phials based on the preliminary results.

"Look at that, your people are allergic to aspirin as well. Good thing I stay stocked up on alternatives," he says easily, filling a syringe with a painkiller specifically designed for overworked telepaths. He is unfortunately very familiar with this particular drug, but it is exceptionally effective, and he'll get about 5 minutes of questioning before Dougie falls asleep for an hour or so.

"This will help a great deal, but it'll make you drowsy. You'll probably sleep for about an hour, then you can join us in the Kitchen. First, though, I have a few questions." Injecting the serum into Dougie's arm, he returns to the other side to see the results of the brain portion of the scan, now that it's complete.

"Oi, you weren't kidding! All the pathways and junctures between telepathic organs are inflamed. I have no idea how you even walked here, let alone are able to communicate. I'm surprised you're even awake," the Doctor says, astounded at Dougie's tenacity.

"I awoke and knew I had to see you immediately and apologise to Rose, to you. I could not…"

"I understand, but rest now. I only have a couple of questions and then you can sleep as long as you like." Nodding his understanding, Dougie keeps his eyes locked to the Doctor's, fighting for focus, already feeling the medication creep up his extremities. But he has to make sure the Doctor understands what happened before he can let go.

"Doctor, I couldn't stop it. I felt it trying to call to the Ood; I felt their distress—all I wanted to do was help, but it is so huge. Doctor, there is so much sorrow," Dougie tells him miserably, shuddering at the memory. Sobbing in a quick breath, he continues, "Not even the Firvulag could so overwhelm one's mind. I could have hurt you, or Rose, or the baby! I couldn't keep it out, and now my mind feels like it is on fire." His obvious distress starts the scanner beeping in alarm.

"Dougie, everything's okay. We all made it," the Doctor says, trying to soothe him. The medication is definitely beginning to work despite Dougie's unhappiness, as the beeping stops and the readings continue to slow.

"Just one question and then you can rest. We'll figure everything out later when you're feeling better." At a nod from Dougie, the Doctor asks him, "You said you knew where we need to go. Did the entity leave information in your mind? You can nod again, if that's easier," the Doctor tells him gently.

"Yes, planetary coordinates; I can draw them for you later. It is their home world, I believe," he says slowly.

"The Ood's home world?"

"Yes. There is something that was buried. The humans have/are hurting it. I'm sorry, I received too much information and only pieces remain. Perhaps more will come when I have rested," he responds shakily, eyes closing of their own accord.

"That's great, Dougie, more than I expected for now. I'll check in later." Glancing at the monitor, he can see that Dougie is already asleep, tears still slowly tracking his cheeks.

Carefully inserting an IV, the Doctor sets up an electrolyte drip, specifically designed to stimulate his brain to heal. The inflammation isn't severe, but it's extensive enough to cause psychic storms if not treated immediately. Adding a mild sedative, the Doctor feels a little guilty about telling Dougie he'd be up in an hour. It will be more like a couple of days, unless he happens to heal as fast as a Gallifreyan.

Speaking of...when he turns back to Dougie with the dermal regenerator in hand, Romana is by the bedside looking sadly down at Dougie and surprising the Doctor.

"Will he be alright, Doctor?" She asks. Not receiving an immediate answer, she looks up at the Doctor, who realises he's staring at her and covers his bad manners with a cough, stepping to Dougie's other side.

"There doesn't appear to be any permanent physical damage," he tells her as he fiddles with the device. Nodding at his reply, she remains by Dougie's side, but has no further questions for the Doctor. This only serves to pique his interest.

Using the dermal regenerator on the bruising he'd caused to Dougie's sternum and temple, the Doctor worries what else the entity may have left behind. He's fought unfriendly entities and Time Lords out of his mind in the past, and it's never a pleasant experience or one you're likely to forget anytime soon. That sort of violation can permanently damage a person's psyche. Romana would know all about that, from her much more personal experiences with Pandora in the past. They'll have to see how Dougie's feeling when he finally wakes up, and not let him turn away from them emotionally.

This thought causes the Doctor to pause as a whole series of memories race through his mind-times where he's done just that in his own attempt to cope. Except in _his_ case, he usually runs away physically, as well. And here he is, thinking about giving psychological therapy to Dougie-hypocrite. Snorting to himself, he continues prepping Dougie for his stay in the Infirmary. Romana will probably be good for him when he wakes up.

"I've sedated him. It'll likely be a couple of days before he's up and around...Romana?" She glances up toward the Doctor, and her expression is an odd mix of concern, frustration, and tenderness.

"Thank you, Doctor," Romana says quietly, turning back to Dougie. The Doctor senses that she would hold his hand if she were able. He can also tell he isn't going to get anything else from her. His curiosity will have to wait.

He knew that Romana and Dougie had struck up quite a friendship, but he hadn't realised how much Romana cared about Dougie. It would be frustrating to be so limited as a hologram in an instance like this. If it were Rose lying there, and he the hologram...with a shudder he pushes the thought away. Leaving Romana to her thoughts, he replaces pieces of equipment to their places, preparing to leave.

Finishing up by setting a couple more alerts on the monitor, the Doctor heads slowly out of the Infirmary and toward the Kitchen, deep in thought.

"Looks like we'll be heading for the Ood home world once Dougie recovers," he tells the group as he enters, taking his seat next to Rose.

"Will he be okay?" Donna asks.

"Yes, but he has a kind of brain fever, and I'm going to keep him sedated for a couple of days so he can recover and the inflammation can go down. There's no sign of permanent damage," he tells her, smiling at the relieved exhalation as she leans into Jack's side.

"How does Dougie know where their home world is?" Jack asks, looking thoughtful.

"Apparently whatever took over left him with the coordinates. He said some other confusing things, but I'm hoping more information will survive the inflammation and we'll know once he wakes up," the Doctor replies with a sigh, scrubbing his face.

"So what did you decide on?" he asks, changing the subject and looking for a little normalcy. "I'm starving!"

Wrapping his good arm around Rose and kissing the top of her head, the Doctor grabs a plate as Jack begins serving out the stir fried pasta dish he and Donna invented because they couldn't decide. Relieved at surviving another day, they all tuck into their supper, worrying about Dougie, but feeling all around grateful.

* * *

**A/N: Thanks so much for reading. Monday's chapter is...The Ood Sphere. Please review if you're enjoying the story. Many thanks to all who have read, favorited, and reviewed, so far. Ya'll Rock! :-)**


	12. The Ood Sphere

**12 Ood Sphere**

"You're sure these are the Coordinates you remember, Dougie?" The Doctor asks, concentrating on the monitor in front of him, occasionally typing.

"Yes, Doctor, I am positive. The TARDIS is showing them on the screen in exactly the same configuration that they hold in my mind. Does it not exist?" Dougie is worried that he somehow failed the entity that needs him.

"No, no," the Doctor says hurriedly. "It's a moon orbiting a planet in a solar system I'm familiar with, is all. Seems a bit strange that it would be so close to the Sense Sphere, and I didn't know about it. Wellll, I say that now. It has been centuries since I was anywhere near this location. I was a bit wet behind the ears, shall we say, and it wasn't a particularly fun adventure as I recall." The Doctor's posture changes a bit as he thinks about it, leaning back on his heels and grasping the lapels of his suit coat in both hands.

"What happened?" Donna asks him, not noticing the differences that scream the First Doctor to Rose, but then she's the only one who's seen him in that incarnation. She smirks to herself, envisioning her Doctor as his first self as she scans through his memories of that escapade.

"Well, the Sense Sphere is populated by Sensorites, who are a very secretive species. The planet has a permanent quarantine now; thanks to me. They are disinterested in any visitors. When I dropped by, they were very worried about Humans exploiting their resources, and with good reason. I did the usual; lots of running, diffusing trouble, dismantling weapons, and generally saving the day. Goodness, but that was a long time ago," he muses, thinking back on Susan, Ian, and Barbara.

"Anyway, they're a telepathic species as well, so maybe there's something about the two suns or the chemical make of the local atmospheres that encourages telepathy to evolve," the Doctor tells them, looking thoughtful. "Hmmmm, I never have a sample when I'm curious about something," he mumbles to himself, before focusing again on Dougie.

"And Dougie, how certain are you that the entity can't take over again? I would rather keep you safe on the TARDIS, than have you go berserk and end up causing unintentional havoc." The expression on the Doctor's face is intense and Dougie knows that, if necessary, the Doctor will restrain him.

"I am completely confident, Doctor. Once you woke me, I was able to follow the entity's path and set up a block to its mental signature. I should still be able to hear the Ood, especially if they are calling out, but the entity that worries us will only be able to communicate with me. There is no possibility of non-consensual control," he says confidently.

"And as I said before, I think it is the vastness of its consciousness that lends the appearance of control. I am not certain that it is actually bent on taking over the minds it attempts to inhabit rather than clumsily trying to communicate, but I will need more information to prove or disprove this theory."

Staring at Dougie for a minute more gauging the situation, the Doctor nods and gives his consent for Dougie to join them.

He'd been surprised and gratified at how practically Dougie had dealt with the psychic violation. Confidently defending the entity throughout their discussions for the past two days, Dougie was determined that there was no malicious intent behind the takeover. Having to bow to Dougie's more expert knowledge was not the Doctor's favourite course, but he saw no reason not to trust his friend. Every scan came up clean, and the TARDIS assured him that the entity did not enter with Dougie.

"Right, well your coordinates are extremely specific, containing time data as well, so we're landing on the 19th of April, 4126. Not sure why that time exactly, but I guess we'll find out," he says with a flourish, throwing the final lever. "Ready…for…some…adventure?"

The ride is decidedly shaky. Rose is positive that tying her to the jump seat like the infant she's carrying, is actually some form of torture, and the Doctor has been tricked into thinking it's for her benefit. Internally elucidating further on how awful the experience is comes abruptly to a halt as the TARDIS lands with a final rattle and a blinking of the lights in apology.

"No worries, Ol' girl, this star system's pretty complicated. I'm sure it adds turbulence to the time winds," the Doctor tells Her, patting a strut.

Bouncing down the ramp to the door, he holds his hand out for Rose, waiting more or less patiently. As she takes it, he pushes the doors open grandly and sweeps out into the sunny and bright…snow covered, bitterly cold landscape.

"Oi! I thought you said it was April! Blasted, _aliens_! I'll be right back," Donna announces as she turns on her heel and marches back into the TARDIS.

Jack, much like the Doctor, wears his long coat like armour and is already suitably clad beneath it. Donna won't admit it now, but he'd pointed out earlier that the TARDIS only lays out the clothes when the needs of the climate are specific. She had ignored the TARDIS' suggestions that morning.

Dougie, like Rose and the Doctor, appears to be able to regulate his body's ability to process external climate changes and is wearing a variation of his usual pale-coloured robes over loose trousers.

Hearing the stomping footsteps of a more appropriately dressed Donna ring out on the grating, they turn to see her exit in a warm fluffy parka. Jack moves to her side, but she holds up a single finger, saying, "Not a word, Harkness." Grinning he closes the TARDIS' door, and stuffing his hands in his pockets, follows Donna to where she's joining the others.

"Rose Tyler! How long has it been sense we saw _real_ snow?" the Doctor says nostalgically.

"Umm, the day we picked up Donna?" Rose replies, smiling at his antics as he throws himself down bodily and starts waving his arms about, making snow angels. Hopping back up, he grins down at his artwork, particularly pleased with himself.

"Well, sure, but not perfect snow…not snow like this. I made a snow angel! Much nicer than weeping angels, let me tell you. They…"

Interrupted by an odd rumble and tearing sound above them, they all look up as a large space ship flies by overhead, executing a decelerating turn as it heads towards its landing on the other side of the nearest ridge line.

"Wow! Now that's a _real_ spaceship!" Donna exclaims appreciatively, eyes glued to its progress across the sky.

"What do you mean 'real' spaceship, Donna Noble? The TARDIS is way better than any old _space…_ship," the Doctor responds, indignant at Donna's implied insult.

"Doctor, he's got a Space Ferrari, you've…got a box. Just sayin'. A bloody magnificent box, but still."

Rose takes the Doctor's hand and begins pulling him along the plateau they're on, smirking at their banter. The settlement must be in the direction the ship took, and she doesn't fancy spending the night out in the snow field.

"I bet it can't travel in time," he grumbles, allowing Rose to pull him along, but still offended for his ship. Squeezing his had in agreement and trying to hide her grin, Rose turns to Dougie.

"Can you hear anything now that we're here, Dougie?" Rose asks him as they walk along.

"Only the faintest stirrings of melody with no words at all, though…"

As one, the Doctor, Rose, and Dougie turn their heads and begin walking purposefully in a slightly different direction. Donna and Jack grin at their synchronous behaviour, assuming they must have picked something up telepathically, and follow a few paces behind.

"Did you hear that?" Rose asks, knowing they did, since they're all moving together.

"I think 'hear' isn't quite the right word, but yes, I 'heard' something. What did it sound like to you?" the Doctor asks her.

"Like the cry of a small child. You?"

"Similar, but to me it sounded like a woman crying out."

"Strange…so something about the call picks out what you'll care about most and uses it to relay its distress," Rose muses out loud.

"Dougie, did you hear anything different, just then?" Rose asks him.

"A miserable cry of loneliness and pain," he replies sadly, scanning for what had called for them.

"Over there!" the Doctor cries, seeing a lump in the snow ahead of them that doesn't look like a rock.

Running forward, Dougie drops to his knees beside the head of what they can now see is a fallen Ood, slowly being covered in snow.

"Oh, Doctor, is he…" Trailing off, Rose's question is answered by the Ood opening his eyes.

"What…what _is_ that?" Donna asks, looking back to Jack as they catch up to the others.

"He's one of the Ood," Rose replies distractedly, wondering how it got here.

"But it's face. The Doctor wasn't kidding about the…" she trails off, wriggling her fingers in the air in front of her face, mimicking the Ood's tentacles. This isn't her first strange looking alien, but it is one of the weirdest.

"Not now, Donna! The Ood's a _he_, not an _it_," Rose blurts out, offended for the poor Ood. But seeing Donna's face, she apologises. "Donna, I'm sorry. I forgot you hadn't seen one before."

Nodding, Donna drops to the Ood's side, taking his hand in hers. The overall look of the Ood had startled her, but seeing him lying there, presumably dying as the snow lightly drifted down, pulls at her heart. Looking into his eyes with compassion she squeezes his icy hand.

"Dougie, can you pick anything up from him? Donna, see if you can't get the Ood talking," the Doctor orders absently.

Pulling a stethoscope from his pocket, the Doctor attempts to find the Ood's heart or whatever might function as a circulatory system in their species. Other than some disturbing gurgles, he discovers nothing conclusive, but he does find a bullet wound in the Ood's lower abdomen.

"Hello there. We're here to help you. Do you have a name?" Donna asks the Ood kindly.

"I am designated, Delta 51," the Ood replies through his translation globe. Thinking she needs to use it to speak to him as well, Donna picks it up; but Dougie takes it gently from her, shaking his head though smiling at her confusion.

"He only requires it to speak to you, Donna, not the reverse," Dougie explains, pillowing the Ood's head in his lap.

Rose and Jack are a little apart from the group, watching. There are enough hands already. Being this close now, Rose can hear the Ood's song and knows it's fading. He'll be dead soon.

"Well, I'm Donna and this is the Doctor; just what you need, a Doctor. And this one here, is Dougie; he can hear your song," Donna continues talking to the dying Ood, not realising that he only has moments left.

"The circle…" the Ood begins.

"No, no, it's okay. Don't try to…"

"The circle must be broken," the Ood says again, interrupting her.

"What circle, and broken how? Can you tell us how to help you?" The Doctor asks urgently, feeling the Ood slipping away.

At this point the Ood has closed his eyes and is rocking back and forth in pain, suddenly stilling, his eyes flash open and they're blood red. A cry escapes from Donna, and the Doctor is instantly pulling her up with him away from the Ood who is growling incoherently trying to get up. But Dougie has him restrained, hands on either side of his skull, his own eyes tightly shut. In another second the Ood is dead, going completely limp between Dougie's hands.

"He has passed into the Universe," Dougie says, closing the dead Ood's eyes. "I sang to his mind, Doctor. It was the only thing I could think to do."

Going to Dougie, Rose kneels down in the snow to wrap her arms around him, sensing his grief. Jack moves to help Donna up as the Doctor assists Rose. Dougie settling the Ood back into the snow before rising to his feet.

"Should we do something for the Ood?" Donna asks, looking sadly down at him.

"The snow will take care of its own, Donna," Dougie tells her gently, giving her a small smile in appreciation, which she returns.

"Doctor, I felt the entity when it possessed Ood Delta 51. I can sense it now. It is beyond that ridge," he says pointing. Then turning to face the Doctor fully, his face long with sorrow, he says, "It is in great pain, and has been for some time."

"Well, we need to get to whatever facility they have here, and find out what's going on. That Ood was shot. He was left to bleed to death in the snow, and I doubt that either of those things was by accident. We'll figure this out, Dougie; I promise you that."

Dougie nods in understanding, and the Doctor claps him on the arm before turning for Rose's hand to help her over a rock. Striding out, they meander their way through the narrow and hazardous landscape toward the ridge Dougie pointed out, looking for a way around it.

* * *

Rounding a break in the rocks, the group spots an enormous facility of buildings with an adjoining spaceport. It's quite busy today with ships of many varieties coming in to land.

"This joint is hoppin', Doc!" Jack says, cataloguing the many _very_ expensive personal space yachts that are lined up on the tarmac.

"Looks like there's some sort of sales presentation or show about to start. I'll bet they tour the facility and are about to wine and dine the new potential investors," the Doctor speculates.

"Sounds a bit like something we should in-_vest_-igate, don't you think?" Donna asks with a grin.

"I'm glad you think so, Donna, because _that_ is exactly what you and Jack are going to go do," the Doctor replies, eyes filled with mischief. Digging around in his pocket, he pulls a wallet out for Jack. "Here, take the psychic paper and pretend to own some corporation that belongs at one of these shindigs. Try to find out as much as you can about their operations.

"I'm guessing the facility is on fairly tight lockdown, and most of the usual security will be hidden so as to not scare the money that's come to visit. Hopefully, they'll be too distracted by them to notice us looking around at all the ugly bits they're hiding." The Doctor rubs his hands together in glee at the prospect of trespassing and exposing whatever is actually happening here. Nothing feels right, and he doesn't like it. Someone's been mucking about with the Ood, and it's time to stop them.

"Dougie, Rose, and I will go in search of the Ood and this entity. Rose has her phone, so stay in contact. Be ready to move if we decide to take action. We'll try to warn you, but…" With a shrug he trails off, and Jack gives an amused laugh, knowing exactly what he's implying—if the proverbial crap starts flying, they might be on their own to get back to the TARDIS…or an impromptu rescue mission.

"No worries, Doc. I don't like what's going on here, either. Donna and I will see what we can dig up and let you know. Care to go crash the party, Donna dear?" Jack asks, holding out an elbow and wearing a cocky grin.

"Do I ever! Lead on Rocketboy," she says enthusiastically, taking his offered arm. With a wave over her shoulder, she and Jack head off down the rise toward the parking lanes, so they can join the people filing away from the ships and walking toward the facility. "Let's go find some trouble, but remember, you're working for me now…Donna Noble, CEO of the Noble Corporation. _You_ can be my _silent_ partner," she says, grinning wickedly at him as she snatches away the wallet.

"Donna, I try very hard to not do anything silently, but I'll happily be your partner," Jack grins in reply. Faltering in her steps, she looks at him sideways, wondering if he's still talking about their ruse and pretends she stumbled on a rock.

Seeing her sidelong glance, Jack's grin broadens even more. He knows she picked up on the double meaning. Keeping Donna just a bit off balance is one of his very favourite projects, and he's counting on her asking him later what he meant by that turn of phrase. Answering her honestly will be one of the best days of his life…he hopes. Adding an extra little swagger to his step, he tucks Donna's hand into his elbow, covering with his own. Catching up with the others that are moving toward the buildings, he flashes his million dollar smile around, acting as if he'd just exited a space Ferrari.

* * *

Dougie, Rose and the Doctor are lying on their bellies in the snow looking at the side of the largest of the buildings. They are all made out of dingy corrugated metal; the most ubiquitous building material in all of human populated space. This building in particular has a great many doors, some of them huge. As they observe the fenced yard around it, they see very little movement, but it's regular.

"The singing is much louder here, Doctor," Dougie says as he shifts a lump of snow from beneath him.

"I know. We can hear it, too. It's so sad and achingly beautiful," Rose responds, rubbing the tears from her eyes. Crying won't really be helpful if they start getting shot at, especially since she'd barely won the intense and short telepathic argument about whether or not she was joining Jack and Donna. Rose digs some more snow out of the small hollow she'd made for her belly as the memory plays out in her mind again.

_-I'll remind you one last time, Doctor. You and I are Bonded, body and soul. If you die, I die, and vice versa. I'm staying! _**_Got that?- _**_Her logic was sound, and the mere inkling that something drastic might happen with them apart, pressed his lips tightly together in dread, but he'd nodded, not bringing up even a hint of it again._

Now, they're observing the lone guard below them as he makes his regular rounds of the yard. The Doctor rests his left hand on Rose's back in sympathy for the song, but he's focused on the guard, timing him. The song will have to wait.

"Looks like we have 6 minutes and 38 seconds between guard passes, +/- 10 seconds; he's like clockwork. Let's get to that side gate in the fence. I'll sonic it, and we'll run to that alcove between buildings by that door marked 12. Everyone got it?"

Dougie and Rose nod their understanding, watching the guard turn another corner below them.

"Dougie, can you tell which building the entity is in?" Rose asks.

"Not exactly, no; there is great deal of interference. There are a substantial number of Ood here—some are singing, and some are…just blank. Do you not sense the psychic turbulence in the area?"

"That's the perfect way to describe it, Dougie. I've been blocking most of it out almost continuously for both Rose and I, since we cleared this ridge. We're still getting the song, though," the Doctor admits. Looking Dougie over with a vaguely worried expression, he says, "You've been awake less than a day, Dougie. Don't overdo it; we'll figure this out without compromising your health."

"Thank you, Doctor, but I feel well. The Ood's health is my greatest concern for now," he says looking at the buildings in a way that makes Rose thinks he wishes he could see through the walls.

"We have 14 seconds until the guard's back is to us, and before he disappears down that alley between buildings," Rose says, getting to her knees as quickly as possible. Thankful again to the 'superior Time Lord Biology' that has made the pregnancy easy so far. "Let's be ready to move in 8." With nods from the Doctor and Dougie, they join her, poised just beneath the top of the rise. Getting to his feet in a rush and pulling Rose with him, they begin rapidly and carefully making their way down the slight hill to the gate in the fence.

Sonic at the ready, the Doctor immediately goes to work on the lock as the seconds automatically tic away in his head. With a satisfying click, the bolt loosens, and they move through into the yard. Closing the gate silently behind them, they scurry across the open area, hoping no one is watching any cameras they may not have seen. Reaching the wall, they move to the alcove; the door marked 12 is just out of sight, but mere steps away.


	13. The Circle Must be Broken

**13 The Circle Must be Broken…**

Donna and Jack catch up to the rest of the waiting buyers just as a young woman, introducing herself as Solana, is handing out orientation packets. Making a quip about having spoken to most of them over the vid recently, she moves next to hand Jack and Donna theirs.

"And you are…?" she asks politely, looking them over and then peering at her list.

"Jack and Donna Noble," Jack says with a winning smile that brings a slight blush to Solana's cheeks.

"Of the Noble Corporation LLC Limited," Donna manages to choke out, also blushing as she replies holding up the psychic paper as ID.

"Well, you must have dropped off the list, my apologies. It will not happen again," she says smoothly, glancing down again at her list and making a mental note to check their references. "Here is a packet. It contains everything you'll need to know about Ood Operations. Thank you," Solana responds as the Ood behind her steps forward with their packet.

Before Solana can take a step over to the next party, an alarm begins sounding. The crowd looks around vaguely interested, but she tells them it's probably just a drill. Shrugging it off, the bevy of interested Ood buyers focuses on Solana again.

Moving away from Jack and Donna, Solana addresses the crowd in general. Jack thinks she suddenly looks a little tight around the eyes. "Let's move inside where it is warmer. There are snacks and beverages available. We will be starting the presentation soon, so please enjoy yourselves." Leading them through a doorway into the showroom, Jack and Donna follow the small crowd of buyers and reps, but not before they both look around outside one more time, thinking the Doctor probably has something to do with that alarm.

* * *

Just as Rose, Dougie, and the Doctor reach the alcove they were aiming for, an alarm begins going off. A musical though highly improbable bit of swearing pops out of Rose's mouth, assuming they're the cause. Pressing themselves flat to the wall, the door marked 12 slams open and an Ood comes flying out of it being chased by men with guns.

Rose and the Doctor hold Dougie back from running after the Ood. They'd all seen his eyes, and they were red.

"Dougie! We can't help them all if we get cut down saving one. I'm sorry, but we have to stay focused," the Doctor tells him with a firm hand on his shoulder, the warning and earnest request shining in his mind.

Dougie nods his understanding and relaxes against the wall of the building, breathing hard.

"Doctor, they weren't shooting at the Ood as it ran. Maybe we should foll…" Rose is cut off by the sounds of gunfire. Dougie remains silent, but the misery is plain on his face.

As they move to step out of the alcove they, hear talking and the crunching of footsteps. Pressing themselves back firmly against the wall, they hope the relative darkness of the alcove will hide them from view. The steps near them and stop before continuing to move off in a different direction, never affording them a view of the speakers.

"Sir, that isn't the first Ood to appear rabid. The second stage of red-eye doesn't fade either."

"Thank you, Captain. You can go back to your duties; keep the Ood under constant observation."

"Yes, sir!"

They hear the sound of retreating footsteps, and Rose thinks that must have been the guard commander speaking, but who's the other voice?

"So, what's causing it, Rhyder? You must have an idea; else what the hell am I paying you for?" the other voice asks, his tone of angry frustration obvious.

"Mr. Halpen, I'm not certain. It's only escalated recently, but it seems to be spreading. Could it have something to do with 15?" This voice, Rhyder, is hesitant. He almost sounds fearful.

"Ugh! Fifteen. I hate that building; haven't been in it in ten years. It would have to be there, wouldn't it?" the voice that must be Halpen's muses. "Drink! All this stress is making my hair fall out. Ood Sigma, what do you think of all this?"

"Humanity defines us, sir."

"See, Ood Sigma is the perfect Ood. We need more like him." There is a pause that has the three conspirators glancing at each other quizzically a moment before the sound of the annoyed voice starts up again. "And now, I guess we have to go to 15. Fine, let's get this over with. Lead the way to our pet, Rhyder."

They hear the crunch of gravel as the individuals move away. Reaching out to touch both Rose and Dougie, the Doctor nods toward the side of the building and the edge of a stairway that is just visible leading to the roof. Both nodding their understanding, he takes Rose's hand, and leads them slowly around the corner and then makes a dash for the stairs. Taking them carefully, they reach the roof in time to see groups of Ood leaving several of the buildings and moving out into the yard.

The Doctor sees a varying sort of movement out of the corner of his eye and turns to see two humans and an Ood going toward a different building. One of the humans is in a lab coat. So, these are the speakers they'd overheard. Rose pulls him back to the scene below them with a tug on his sleeve as an Ood falls, slipping on the snow covered gravel. A guard moves up, shaking free a whip and threatens the Ood with it several times, cracking it around him dangerously. The Ood is able to get to his feet and rejoin the others, but cowers away from the human as he moves past. In another few moments, all of the Ood and guards have moved out of the yard below and around the corner of the building-out of sight from those positioned on the roof.

Dougie is still as stone, observing the actions below him. Rose moves to his side, and lays a gentle hand to his arm. Looking up, she's bothered to see his usually expressive features devoid of emotion; it's the most alien he's ever looked. That is, until he slowly turns his head and looks at her directly. His eyes, usually the shade of cornflowers in sunlight, are a midnight blue with flickering purple hints of brighter power just below the surface—lava flowing hot beneath a thin crust of control.

"I hate this Rose," he says softly, like it's an effort to put words to his feelings. "What is happening here…I **_hate_** it. I have never hated anything in my life, nor have I ever wished I could burn the mind of another being for their actions; but I feel this…this desire. I know I could…if I looked for it. But I do not." Closing his eyes for a moment releases Rose. She didn't realise she was enthralled by his gaze. Rocking back, a little dizzily, Rose is glad for the Doctor's support as he lays a reassuring hand on her shoulder to steady her.

She'd felt completely alone, captured by Dougie's gaze, like a wasp in honey, but she wasn't. The Doctor is there, too. She thinks she should be afraid, but she isn't. Seeing the silent tears slide down Dougie's cheeks, she steps forward easily, wrapping herself around him physically and energetically.

"Dougie, I'm so sorry. I can hear them, too—all the time. I could block the Ood out, but I'm not…I won't because no one else can hear them but us. I'm protecting the baby, but the Doctor and me and you; we hear them," she tells him, willing Dougie to trust her. "We will _fix_ this…we _are_ fixing this, Dougie. But we need to focus; all of us. The Ood can't do this themselves, but they've got us. Okay? We can't do any of this without you, Dougie. Please?" Rose pleads with him, taking his hands in hers and enfolding her words with her intentions so he can feel her as well as hear her.

Dougie returns the embrace before straightening again, his hands in hers. His eyes are still a darker blue, but now the colour of fall skies, and not so stormy. Before he can say anything, the Doctor steps up beside Rose in solidarity for their friend.

"Rose is right, Dougie. Without you, we wouldn't have known there was a problem," the Doctor says to him as his wet gaze meets the Doctor's. "Trust me, I know it hurts. The emptiness, the aching void, and then to suddenly have it filled up with Song. You had the Sidhe and they alleviated some of the ache. It helped; made things bearable. I know we help, too, Rose and me. But the Ood, we can hear it in their song—they're shattered, kept separate from one another. They can't sing together, and it's killing them softly with this silence that they're being programmed to believe is right and good."

Encompassing everything around them with a sweep of his arm—the Ood below them, the humans working here, the visitors, the snow covered hills, and the gorgeously ringed planet taking up a third of the sky above them—the Doctor continues, "This…all of this…is why we are here, to stop whatever is happening; but we need to understand what's going on, so we can make certain it _never_ happens again. We can't always be here, but we can help them now. And hopefully, when we're done, they'll be able to help themselves. Are you ready to help us do that, Dougie?" the Doctor asks him, holding out his hand, palm up in invitation.

With the first genuine smile they've seen on his face since meeting the Ood, Dougie takes the Doctor's hand and they grip each other tightly in mutual understanding.

"Yes, Doctor, Rose, I am ready and more than willing. I constantly find myself amazed that great Tana saw fit to bless my life with you two. Thank you," he says with a final sniff and a slightly sheepish smile. "I hope Donna and Jack haven't rescued everyone while you've been stuck up here talking me off the proverbial ledge."

"Nah! They're probably just getting to the good part of the party or they've been arrested," Rose banters back, her brilliant grin shining.

"Let's go check out that warehouse 15. Sounded like they're hiding something in there, and that means it's the perfect place to look. I do so love trespassing," the Doctor says gleefully, clapping Dougie on the shoulder before moving toward the stairs and holding a hand out for Rose.

Dougie follows close behind, feeling lighter than he has in hours. In taking the Doctor's hand, they'd shared a brief but utterly profound awareness of the other's telepathic consciousness. In past words and deeds, Dougie knew that the Doctor understood the truth behind how he felt and vice versa, but this was much more visceral. That sharing, more than his words, reminded Dougie that he was most definitely not alone.

Reaching the bottom of the stairs they take off moving from crate to machine to a wall, in a sneaky path towards a mysterious door marked 15. Another alarm rings out just as they're passing door 14. Afraid of being caught in the exposed area, the Doctor wrenches it open and they pile inside the largest room yet, completely filled with shipping containers, some stacked three high. Pulling the door shut, they hear booted feet run past outside and breathe sighs of relief at having a refuge near at hand.

"What is this place, Doctor?" Rose asks, looking around in amazement at the number of containers.

"Ood export, would be my guess. See that crane there?" He points out an enormous claw hanging from a series of tracks suspended from the ceiling. "It picks up these containers and moves them to large transports for delivery off world. The Ood we saw outside are probably for the buyers that are personally here."

Rose is about to ask another question, when her phone buzzes in her pocket. Pulling it out, she sees it's a message from Donna.

_*You will NOT believe the rubbish they were trying to feed us up here!*_

_/Oh? What's up?/ —^-}*_

_*Get this…and I quote…The Ood are happy to serve. They're your trusted friends. If you're happy, then you're Ood is happy. That last one nearly made me toss my wine at the condescending cow. But that's not the best part!*_

Trying to stay quiet and respond to Donna as they move between the containers is going to be difficult if Donna keeps being so…well, so Donna.

_/OK, I'll bite…what's the best part?/ —^-}*_

_*Well, first I decided to ask an Ood what he thought about all this. Are there any free Ood, roaming the snow plains, like wildebeests? He says, he doesn't know what I mean. Says…All Ood are born to serve, else they'd die! Then he calls me Miss. Got me a bit sidetracked, you know how I hate that. It's as bad as peo*_

_*ple thinking the Doctor and I are a couple. I mean EWWW! Jack says I need to get to the point. Idgit! I am getting to the point! That Ood almost said something about the circle, and his eyes were perfectly normal, but he got interrupted.*_

Rose begins her reply, when another message comes through, deleting her window.

_*Oh! Jack says there are Ood distribution centres all over the three galaxies. Says the Doctor will know what that means. He's got a map of this facility, so we're heading out. They were demonstrating different voices for the translators, and I might be sick if I hear one more poor Ood say -Doh!- Where are ya?*_

"I wonder if that alarm has anything to do with them?" the Doctor wonders. "Tell them to meet us here. It seems to be fairly quiet and looks to be connected to several of the other buildings, if I'm interpreting those cable tracks correctly. I'd like to see Jack's map," the Doctor says. Both he and Dougie were reading over Rose's shoulder when she'd stopped moving abruptly to focus on what Donna was saying.

_/Doctor says come to us here. We're in warehouse 14, filled with containers/—^-}*_

_*K. Cya soon*_

"So, Jack said you'd know what that meant about the distribution centres," Rose says as they continue walking.

"He's reminding me that we are in the middle of the Second Great and Bountiful Human Empire, which of course I know, but it means that there are a lot of Ood that aren't on this planet," the Doctor answers.

"You mean they use these containers to transport the Ood?!" Rose asks, incredulous, remembering that was one of the questions she'd wanted to ask before Donna texted her.

Before the Doctor can reply, Dougie moves to the nearest container and opens it, letting out a gust of foul air as light from the open door falls on the blinking faces of the Ood packed inside.

"Oh, Doctor!" Rose exclaims, covering her mouth and nose, stepping back from the door far enough she can't smell it anymore. The rancid, closed in odour of that many Ood nearly made her sick. Feeling guilty about it, she still chooses to hang back from the open door. Seeing movement further down one of the hallways between containers, she turns and heads off in that direction. Maybe it's Donna and Jack already.

"How many are there in here, Doctor?" Dougie asks quietly.

"I would guess a hundred, hundred twenty-five maybe."

"Oi, the stench!"

Startled, Dougie and the Doctor turn to see Donna and Jack walk up to join them. Donna has her hand to her nose, grimacing.

"Where's Rose?" the Doctor asks, looking around and sounding exasperated. "The wandering off! That woman will literally be the death of me. She was just here!"

"I'll go find her, Doctor. She probably didn't go far, but shouting would be a bad idea," Jack points out, giving Donna a quick kiss to the crown of her head before heading around the corner at a jog.

"That it would, especially if this alarm has anything to do with you," the Doctor mutters to himself turning back to the Ood.

"Did you say there was more than a hundred of 'em in there?" Donna asks. At his nod, she comments again, "So this Second Best Great and Wonderful Human Empire was built by slaves? That's disgusting!"

"It is," the Doctor agrees, rolling his eyes at the misremembered name. "But it isn't that different from your time."

"What? I don't have any slaves back home," she says indignantly.

"No, but the children and adults that make the clothes popular in your time are or are nearly slaves. Many hardly paid a pittance, even in countries that disavowal slavery. It is not so different, Donna," Dougie answers softly, the sadness deep in his eyes.

Donna sees the parallel, and has a moment that she doesn't really like being human. Well, she's going to be the best human she's capable of, because she's here and someone has to prove that they aren't all hopeless.

Stepping up to the Ood, she asks, "Hello! The door's open. You can be free. Why don't you run away?"

One of the Ood picks up his translator to respond, "I do not understand."

"Why don't you leave?" Dougie asks.

All of the Ood reply to him in unison, "The circle must be broken."

"What is the circle?" the Doctor asks excitedly. "Why must it be broken?"

Dougie lifts his head suddenly, like a dog catching a scent. Donna and the Doctor are so caught up with the Ood, they don't notice him leave either.

"The circle must be broken so we can sing," all the Ood reply.

Hearing the running steps of many booted feet, the Doctor pushes the door closed and looks around for everyone. Seeing only Donna, he growls in frustration as he grabs her hand, yelling, "Run!"

Careening down the paths between containers, the Doctor is worried about the others, but he's much too focused on trying to keep Donna safe to think too intently on where they're going or what everyone else is up to. _Really, it's Rule #1! How hard is it?_ he thinks between breaths.

Abruptly, they're cut off by more guards and Donna stumbles, instantly grabbed by pursuing hands. The Doctor has to drop her hand, but manages to keep going at full speed, dodging the guards. Not liking that everyone is now missing or captured, he must to stay free if he's going to get them all out of this alive; so, he continues running, no matter how guilty he feels for leaving Donna.

He's positive he's going around in circles, when he finally notices the sounds of pursuit have gone away completely, as has the sounds of alarm. Not liking the quiet any more than he'd like the blaring alarm, he takes a moment to try and regain his breath. His bypass is a wonderful thing, but it can only do so much against the continued sprinting he'd been engaging in. Bent over, with hands on knees, the Doctor is just beginning to feel normal again, when he hears a sound that sends chills down his spine. Snapping erect, he looks up to see the crane claw coming directly for him, and maniacal laughter echoing through the distance.

* * *

**A/N: Hi everyone! Thanks so much for reading. I am so pleased by the new follows after each chapter. :-D Don't forget to review; even authors need a little love. -grin- Friday's chapter is ...So We Can Sing.**


	14. So We Can Sing

**14 …So We Can Sing**

Jack is jogging past rows and rows of containers. Doing the math in his head makes him want to wretch at the numbers of Ood currently jammed into these metal boxes like so many sardines. If he'd had any idea what really went on with the Ood, he might have already been here and done something about this.

With an ugly twist to his usually handsome mouth, Jack flashes to the irony of just how untrue that thought is. If he hadn't met Rose and then the Doctor, he would have shrugged and went about his business.

He needs to remember to thank them again for saving him from being a Time Agent. He likes who is now and who he is again later when Rose first meets him. Hell, if not for them, he wouldn't know Donna or Dougie. Yep, definitely need to send some appreciation their way soon.

He'd start paying it forward now, if only he could find Rose. How can she possibly get this far away, in such a short time; that woman is amazing.

Catching a glimpse of colour that doesn't belong amongst the repetitive palette of shipping containers, Jack veers off into the new direction. Coming to the end of the row, he sees Rose in her plum coloured dress standing before a locked door marked—13 Ood Processing.

"Hey, Rosie. Whatchya doing all the way over here? The Doctor's worried, and I left Donna with… Rose?"

He'd started babbling, but wound down when there'd been no response from Rose. Slowing his steps, Jack moves gingerly around her so he can see her face, fearing what he might glimpse.

Staring fixedly at the door, her lips are moving. She seems to be either singing or talking, but there's no sound. His movement is arrested though by her eyes, which are softly glowing gold.

He was afraid of this; Rose is having a Bad Wolf moment, and the Doctor is nowhere around. He'd warned Jack that Rose's connection with the Bad Wolf within her was permanent and sometimes unconscious. It could also potentially hurt the baby. So the Doctor had asked that Jack keep an eye on her since he has more experience with her in that state. The Doctor said not to startle or anger her, but to break her out of it as quickly as possible, should anything ever trigger it.

She had definitely been triggered, but she didn't appear to be in any discomfort and her expression was a bit blank; but if he had to put an emotion to it, he'd say…determined, relaxed even? Either way, the Doctor had been explicit that she couldn't stay like that long; so not exactly certain, Jack reaches out to gently touch her hand where it's hanging by her side.

"Rosie? Hey honey, can you hear me?" When he doesn't get a response, he slides his hand into hers and squeezes, sending a little telepathic flick her way, just a casual greeting sort of touch.

_That_, has an effect. Golden eyes sliding to his, She smiles at him calmly before saying enigmatically, "I have prepared the way." Blinking a few times, and swaying a little, Rose's own warm light brown eyes abruptly shine back at him, confused. Listing a bit to one side dizzily, he quickly puts an arm around her to help.

"Jack! Where am I? Where are the others?" She starts peppering him with questions, becoming frantic.

"Whoa, whoa! I left them back at the container filled with Ood, but that was a while ago now," Jack says, trying to calm her down. "What made you come here?" he asks, looking around.

"I remember the smell of all the Ood made me feel sick, so I moved to the side, which made me feel horribly guilty. Poor Ood. It isn't their fault. Then I saw something and thought it was you and Donna, so I went looking…Now, I'm here…at a door. What was I doing?"

"Well, you were singing or talking silently…to the door," he says with a little shrug, "And, you may have been a little Bad Wolf-y."

"Bad Wolf? I do sort of remember hearing a singing. Weird. Well…" She cuts herself off as she suddenly turns, looking up at the sound of the crane moving.

"The Doctor…he's being chased. We have to help him!" Taking off at a run, Rose heads in a new direction. Following her, Jack sprints to catch up. He'll try to remember to ask her what she meant by "the way is prepared" later; right now, the Doctor needs saving.

Seeing the crane move back and forth, dropping down a few times as they run, spurs Rose on and Jack picks up his pace to stay with her.

"Come on, I think they're trying to kill him!" Rose pants out, trying to pick up speed. They both hear an unhinged cackle of glee ring out through the otherwise still warehouse driving her point home,.

It sounds close, so she veers off down another shorter hallway, when they see a dark haired woman scurry past the opening at the far end from them. Reaching the end of the stack, Jack and Rose peer around it to see the stairway that leads to the crane controls. Inside the control room, the young dark woman is chewing the guard up one side and down the other. He definitely looks defiant while grudgingly shutting the crane down.

"That's Solana, the woman from the presentation; she must be some kind of Operations Manager,"Jack tells Rose.

Looking around, Rose can see where the crane's descent was arrested as it sways in the air above its target.

"That way! He was aiming for the Doctor." Running again, they zigzag through the stacks of containers, trying to reach the Doctor, and presumably, Donna and Dougie. Coming to the end of the row, they see the Doctor just opening a container holding a screaming, pounding Donna in it just as they're surrounded by guards with guns. Jack stops Rose from calling or running forward when they see Donna come rushing out of the container, followed closely by several dozen red-eyed Ood that begin targeting the guards with their glowing translator globes.

The Doctor grabs Donna's hand and drags her off in exactly the opposite direction of Rose and Jack's, leaving the now rabid Ood and the guards with lots of bullets between them. Rose can't watch the guards cut the Ood down, rabid or otherwise. Moving back around the corner of the stack they'd just exited, she leans against the corrugated metal.

"I don't think I can run that much anymore, Jack," Rose says dejectedly.

"Just going out on a limb here, Rosie, but isn't that why you insisted we all have phones?" Jack points out, glad to not be chasing after Donna and the Doctor at the moment.

Snorting to herself and rolling her eyes, Rose digs in her pocket for hers. "I could kiss you," she tells him, smiling.

"You could, but that position doesn't currently have an opening," he replies cheekily.

Snorting again, she texts Donna.

_/Donna. Saw you and Doctor escape. Jack and I are on opposite side from you now. There's a door over there labeled 13 Ood Processing. Dougie?/—^-}*_

They listen for a couple of minutes and finally the shooting stops. There's some yelling and then the sound of booted feet running again. Jack glances around the corner as Rose gets a text in reply. The guards are following the Doctor and Donna, so Jack leaves them where they are.

_*Oi! Where the hell did you go? DR unhappy! Do you have JK? We don't have DG. Heading to 13 now*_

With a grimace, Rose replies to Donna, still worrying about them as well as Dougie.

_/Have Jk. We'll catch up to you at 13 from the outside. Guards heading your way./ —^-}*_

"They don't know where Dougie is, either," she tells Jack.

"Can't you guys talk to him here?" he asks, tapping the side of his head.

"The Doctor is better with him than I am, they have some sort of clearer connection. I have to be touching him, but I might be able to at least tell where he is," she explains.

Feeling out with her mind, concentrating on Dougie, Rose senses him, but that's all. The Ood and the psychic turbulence are only getting worse, and she pulls back to herself with a gasp, clutching her head. Seeing stars for a few moments, Rose can't immediately respond to Jack's inquiries.

"M'okay, Jack, really. I can feel Dougie, but that's it. I just gave myself a headache, is all. The telepathic field around here is getting more and more unstable. I have no idea how you're not feeling it," she says grimacing at the pain.

"What makes you think I'm not feeling it?" he asks with a brittle smile. "The noise in my head right now is making it hard to think and I constantly feel like I need to remind myself to breath. I just didn't want you to worry, is all."

"Oh, Jack, I'm sorry. I swear being pregnant makes me just as rude as the Doctor. I had no idea you were in pain," Rose says, putting up another layer between her and all the psychic noise. Reaching out her hand, Jack takes it, and she slaps a temporary shield in place for him.

"Oh! What did you do, that's amazing," he exclaims, eyes round in surprise.

"A little trick Dougie showed me. I basically just spackled over your telepathic receptors for a while," she explains. "Your own brain will remove it soon enough. Let's hope we're finished and out of here before then." With a smile, Rose pushes herself away from the container.

"Do you still have that map? Let's try to find a way to warehouse 13 and Ood Processing. I don't know what that is, but I guarantee none of us will like it," Rose says as Jack digs the map out of his coat pocket and they plan their route.

* * *

Within a few meters of the door Rose mentioned, the Doctor stops in his tracks, clutches his skull and does a little circle, groaning.

"Oi! I never needed a map! I should have just listened better," he growls, shaking his head to clear it. Pulling out his sonic, he stumbles the last few steps to the door and starts working on the lock.

"What are you goin' on about, Spaceman? Other than the bastards shooting those poor Ood, I don't hear anything," Donna says, clearly unhappy.

This day just keeps getting worse, and she feels like nothing is under control. Humans are horrible, Ood can be gentle and scary, her friends keep going missing, and now, something's happening and she can't hear it with her inferior human ears! For the first time since leaving London, she wants to go home. Missing her Gramps fiercely, she hugs her parka closer, wishing Jack was there.

Getting the door open, the Doctor gasps and sways in the doorway. Catching himself on it and taking a deep breath, he steps through into a room full of cages. The Ood Song is so strong he can nearly see the waves of telepathy ripple through reality around him. It's distorting the timelines which are in a serious state of upheaval. The Song is actively working to alter something, and he can almost see it without even engaging his other Time Lord senses.

Donna follows him through and he turns to sonic the door shut behind her, fusing the locking mechanism.

At Donna's startled expression, he says, "It won't keep them out forever, but hopefully it will buy us enough time to find out what's going on. Blimey!" Putting his hands to his temples, he focuses inward for a moment before opening his eyes again, looking much more clear headed. "Right, that will help for a bit. Let's see what we can find."

Donna's brow is creased, wondering what he's going on about, but she follows him through the empty cages in the near dark.

"Look, Doctor, over there," she says, pointing. Locked in a cage under one of the few lit bulbs are huddled a few Ood. They're dressed differently than the others and they stay turned in toward themselves, shuffling to keep their bodies between something they're holding and those outside the cage.

"What are they doing, Doctor?" Donna asks. Not getting a reply, she bumps him on the shoulder to get his attention.

Glancing in her direction and starting like he'd forgotten she was there is the last straw. "What are you so distracted by? What's this song you and Rose and Dougie keep goin' on about?"

"The Ood are telepathic, Donna; they sing to each other. Most of them sound like they're out of tune, or don't sing at all; but these Ood are singing like the world will end if they don't," he tries to explain, gazing sadly into the cage.

"What does it sound like?" Donna asks in curiosity. She can tell the Doctor is unhappy; hell, everyone's been unhappy since they landed here, it seems. She'd like to understand. She needs this day to start making sense.

"Would you like to hear them?" the Doctor asks her.

Nodding hesitantly at first before deciding, "Yes, I think so…yes, I want to hear them sing."

"Do you trust me?" the Doctor asks, gazing intently into her eyes, waiting for her.

"Of course," she answers immediately, earning herself a small but very sincere smile from the Doctor.

"They are singing of captivity, Donna. Are you sure?" he asks, giving her one last chance. Nodding, she steps closer to him.

Placing both hands on either side of her face, fingertips to temples, he reaches for her mind.

"Open up to me, Donna. Let yourself hear them. That's it," he says softly into the dark room.

Suddenly the most plaintive, gorgeous, and terrifyingly sorrowful melody fills Donna's mind—it's all she can hear and it takes her breath away. Gasping, she turns wide-eyed to look at the Ood. A couple of them blink at her, somehow sensing that she can hear them now.

"Oh my God, Doctor. It's so sad." Eyes filling with tears, she turns away from them, gasping. "Please take it back. I can't do it…It's too much," she chokes out between sobs. Pulling her to him, he slides his hands to her temples quickly and closes the connection between them. Hugging her close for a couple of moments, he whispers soothingly that it's all okay; everything's going to work out fine. Past the worst of the sobbing, she pulls back from him, and he hands her a hanky from his pocket. Taking it gratefully, she wipes her eyes and nose, apologising all along.

"I'm sorry. It was just too much. I care, really I do; I just…"

"Donna, it's okay. I'm sorry it was so overwhelming," he interrupts her apology with his own.

She swats him halfheartedly. "Both of us apologising is stupid," she says, trying to smile.

He returns her smile with a wan one of his own, and she notices how tight the skin is around his eyes. "You can still hear it, can't you?" she asks in sudden understanding.

"All the time," he replies sadly, staring at the Ood. Sighing, he moves to the cage door, using his sonic to get it open. Kneeling down near the Ood, he stretches out a hand toward them as Donna moves up beside him.

The Ood, for their part, stop jostling and a couple of them turn toward the Doctor and Donna.

"I'm the Doctor, and this is Donna," he says, smiling gently and pointing back and forth between them. "Doctor and Donna are friends. What do you have there? What are you holding? May I see it? That's right…we won't hurt you…let me see…"

The stream of gentle questions and wordy nudges entices the Ood nearest them to turn toward them fully. This close, they can see the range of emotions flash across the expressive brow as it moves above the Ood's beautiful hazel eyes. Eyes that are trying very hard to communicate with the Doctor.

"That's right. We're here to help. There are more of us, and we're going to fix this whole bloody mess. Now, let me see what you're protecting," the Doctor cajoles the Ood, speaking to him in calm, kind tones.

Coming to a decision, the closest Ood holds out his cupped palms to the Doctor, and then lifts his one hand away from the other, revealing a small pink, pulsing secondary brain attached by another of his flexible tentacles.

"Umm…Doctor, is that another brain?" Donna asks after her initial gasp.

"A hind brain, in fact. Ood…are born with a secondary brain," the Doctor says in excited wonder as several very unsavoury facts slide into place; the puzzle beginning to take shape. "Like your amygdala, Donna, it processes memory and emotions. Without it, you'd be like…well you'd be like an Ood…Sorry, like a processed Ood."

"You mean Ood Operations is cutting off their brains and stitching on the translators?" Donna asks, growing more indignant by the second.

"Yes, they essentially lobotomise the Ood, making them pliant and the perfect servants for humankind." The bitterness in the Doctor's tone is hard to mistake, and for once Donna is not at all inclined to defend her own race.

"You know, Doctor, I thought traveling with you was going to be amazing, moving from one miraculous event to the next. I thought everything was going to be wonderful in my naive little human mind; but we humans, we're like a virus, spreading our hate and misery all over the Universe! How do you stand it?" she asks in self-disgust. Seeing what's happening here to the Ood, and what happened between Human and Hath on Messaline, makes Donna question herself. _Are all Humans this worthless?_

"No," the Doctor instantly replies, as if he heard her inner thought. "Because more humans than not, are like you, Donna. Filled with compassion, wonder, and a deep joy like no other species is capable of. We all have skeletons in our genetic closets; but you, Donna Noble, are one of the best humans I have ever had the privilege to meet, and I hope you're up for it…because I think we're about to be captured!"

The door he'd soniced shut earlier slams open and a dozen or more guards burst into the room, guns at the ready.

Stuffing her into the cage with the Ood, the Doctor slams the door shut after himself, locking it. Then he proceeds to challenge and mock the guards on the other side. Donna rolls her eyes at his antics, knowing he's just trying keep them off balance while he figures something out.

Kneeling down amongst the Ood, she smiles at them as they make room for her. The one nearest wrinkles its brow at her in what she thinks might be a smile. Grinning, she pulls out her phone to see where the hell the cavalry is.

* * *

**A/N: Happy Friday! I hope everyone has a glorious weekend. Thanks for reading and letting me know what you think. Monday's chapter is: Transmogrification. :-)**


	15. Transmogrification

**15 Transmogrification**

_*Where are you, Rose! DR is annoying some guards. We're about to be dragged off, and could really use some help! In 13. WAIT till I tell you what they've been doing to the Ood. Sometimes I hate my own species*_

"Donna said that?" Jack asks, surprised, reading over Rose's shoulder. "She usually gets so mad when the Doctor makes even a passingly condescending remark against humans. Wow. It must be bad."

"I knew Ood Conversion couldn't be anything good. What should I tell her? That we're lost?" Looking around despondently, Rose is once again annoyed. There should be a way through between these two buildings; it's on Jack's map, but they can't find it. Faced with having to turn around and find another path makes her want to scream.

"Ask her if she's heard from Dougie, and tell her we nearly got captured. It's mostly true," Jack says, studying the map again.

They'd almost run face first into a group of guards, so technically he's right.

_/Any sign of DG? Having difficulties navigating. Trying to reach you./ —^-{*_

"We're going to have to go back, Rosie. I'm sorry, but we have to return to 14 and use that door that you sent the Doctor and Donna through, or the exterior door marked…here," he says pointing to a position on the map. "This…passage…must be a misprint. It's the only way. Did we get a response?" he asks, looking up.

"Not yet, let's go. All this running wouldn't be so hard if I wasn't moving two," she says with a wry grin, as they begin jogging back toward warehouse 14.

* * *

Inside the main warehouse of 14, there is a great deal of shouting and sporadic gunfire. Leaving quickly is the obvious choice. Deciding the exterior door of 14 is closer, Jack and Rose head back to the yard, and take more time than they wanted avoiding clusters of guards, to finally reach the outside door to the warehouse labeled 13. Finally making it there, they peer inside, and see…nothing, it's empty—no Doctor, no Donna, and no Ood.

"This whole situation is starting to get out of hand, Jack, and I don't like it," Rose says, looking around. There is an expectant hush in the yard that makes her hair stand up. Closing her eyes, she tries feeling out from herself, to see if she can…

"Rose! There's Dougie, and he has Ood with him," Jack says urgently.

Snapping back to her surroundings, Rose's eyes immediately find Dougie. He's striding purposefully toward a staircase with three Ood in tow. Apparently sensing her regard, he pauses, looking in her and Jack's direction.

There is some sort of intense connection instantly made between the two of them. Rose grabs Jack's hand and starts pulling him after Dougie. Not waiting for them, Dougie continues toward the stairs.

Jack and Rose catch up to Dougie and his Ood, just as they force their way through the door. Inside is a small conference room, and the Doctor and Donna are surrounded by red-eyed Ood. Shouting over and over that they are friends, Rose can see that the Doctor and Donna are somehow being restrained, and are desperate for help against the deranged Ood.

Nearly overwhelmed by sheer terror, Rose feels power begin to well up within her just as Dougie raises his hands in unison with the Ood he brought.

The other Ood instantly stop, freezing in place.

"The Doctor and Donna are friends of the Ood," Dougie says, a faraway quality to his voice.

An Ood in front of the heavily breathing and tearfully grateful captives replies through his translator, "Doctor, Donna are friends." All of the red-eyed Ood are suddenly normal again, blinking at their surroundings. As one they turn to leave, taking the other Ood with them, leaving Dougie, Rose, and Jack behind with the still restrained Donna and Doctor.

"Yes! That's us, friends. Oh, yes! Here to help. When you need a good neighbour…" the Doctor rattles out in a fit of relief before being cut off by Donna's exasperated shout.

"Where have you been?" Donna bellows, crying and laughing at the same time in a confusion of angry, terrified relief.

The Doctor seems to be fine, but he's stopped talking and is staring fixedly at Dougie, even as Rose rushes to his side.

"Doctor! I'm so sorry. We got turned around, and then we had to backtrack. Jack found me earlier, and we…"

"Rose, please step aside so I may release the Doctor and Donna from their bonds," Dougie says, sounding more like himself…but still…not.

"Oh! Sorry, I was…just…" Rose trails off when she turns, noticing in the process that the Doctor is staring at Dougie. Facing him, she sees why. Dougie's eyes, usually a shade of blue, are glowing a deep and flickering purple, a shade or two brighter than the purple that Rose sees as the colour of his energetic core.

"Umm, Dougie? Are you…okay?" Jack asks, stepping back from Donna.

With two synchronous clicks, the handcuffs fall open and drop to the floor on their own. The Doctor and Donna both rub their wrists as they move to their partner's sides, all of them watching Dougie warily; sensing that something big has happened.

"We are well, my friends, but we require your aid. Individually I was unable to enter 15, and together, we need you to end this," Dougie answers, smiling softly at them.

Noticing the incredulous expression on the Doctor's face, and sensing the well of questions that are about to be asked, Dougie raising his hands and says, "I will explain, Doctor, but now, we do not have the time."

"The other Ood! Halpen's going to gas them! We…," Donna begins, suddenly remembering what the madman had said just prior to leaving them.

"No, he is not," Dougie says, simply. "We have…remedied that imbalance."

Turning, Dougie heads out the door and down the stairs, not once looking back.

The friends look at each other in shock. It is the Doctor taking Rose's hand and following that finally gets the group moving. Jogging after Dougie, they see they're heading toward warehouse 15 finally, and the door is open, an Ood waiting for them.

_-Doctor…-_

_-I know, Rose. I saw it, too.-_

_-But, what do you think it means?_

_-I think it means the entity and Dougie are communicating on a completely different level. We'll figure this out, luv. Let's just finish saving everyone first.-_

Squeezing her hand as they reach the open door to 15, the Doctor lets her go to enter single file, following the Ood. He doesn't hear Rose's gasp as she clears the threshold, or see her move in a different direction.

Jack sees Rose take a different path and assumes this is something the Doctor asked her to do telepathically. Donna notices, too, but since Jack seems aware and unconcerned, she thinks it's somehow expected and says nothing about Rose's disappearance either.

* * *

"Well, how annoying. I see you decided to join my little going away party," Halpen says to the Doctor, Jack, Dougie, and Donna as they reach him and Dr. Rhyder's position. They are standing near some very sophisticated computer systems that are quite close to a low fence that appears to be blocking the edge of a platform; open space below.

"What are you doing, Halpen?" the Doctor asks.

"Taking care of business. I could run a small shipping company—specialise in rare cargos. I already have the containers and the ships. It will be easy. My grandfather started this one, and now I'm going to blow it up," he says, a sinister and unhinged combination of glee and disgust crossing his features.

"Everything was perfect for 200 years, and then you, _the Friends of the Ood_. You just have to make an appearance and muck everything up. Well, it won't do you any good, because I…am…going…to…**blow it UP**!" Halpen shouts at them.

"Oh my God, Doctor, look," Jack says, pointing below them. He had sidled up to the edge of the drop to see what was down there.

Moving to the low fence, the Doctor peers over the edge quickly taking it all in, and suddenly all the pieces click into place. This enormous, sentient brain below them is the key to everything.

"And you, Sigma. You brought them here, you betrayed me," Halpen says sadly, looking at the Ood that had, in fact, waited for them.

"My place is by your side," Ood Sigma replies, moving to stand by Halpen. A delighted smile lights up Halpen's face, highlighting his tenuous grip on his own sanity.

"I see. I see it _all_ now. The Ood, they have a forebrain, a hindbrain, and this…their telepathic centre—a shared mind connecting all the Ood in Song," the Doctor says wonderingly, gesturing to the brain below.

"We found that _thing_ beneath the Great Northern Glacier. They didn't stop us from taking it. Never lifted a finger when we moved it here. It's not like they fought, they welcomed us," Halpen says, smiling at Sigma.

"You idiot!" Donna says sharply to Halpen, whose head whips up at her tone. "They're born with their brains in their hands. Don't you see? That makes them peaceful! They've got to be, because a creature like that would have to trust anyone it meets!" she finishes indignantly.

Feeling a rush of pride, Jack steps up behind her, laying a warm and supportive hand to her shoulder. The Doctor looks over with a grin.

"Oooo, well said, Donna!" he tells her, a small part wishing he'd thought of it.

"Thanks," Donna replies, a little flustered at the praise and support.

Reaching back for Rose's hand, the Doctor suddenly realises that she isn't there and hasn't been for some time. Looking around, he doesn't see her. Jack notices his motions and makes the intuitive leap that Rose is missing—her earlier motivations her own and not part of a plan. That can't be good.

The Doctor is looking around for her, but snaps back to Rhyder, who suddenly begins speaking, edging toward the fence. "You should never have let me at the computer systems, Halpen. I've worked for 10 years to get to this position, so I could help the Ood. We wanted to tell the Empire the truth about what was going on here. I lowered the barrier to its most minimal setting. I am a Friend of the Ood." Looking down at the huge brain below with something akin to love, he doesn't see Halpen move to his side.

"And it worked," Rhyder says, turning back. "The Ood are fighting back against your…"

Halpen takes two steps and unceremoniously bends forward, tossing Rhyder over the side. Rushing to the fence, the Doctor, Jack, and Donna see Rhyder fall onto and then into the brain, cutting off his cries. Donna turns into Jack's side, not wanting to think about the poor man's sacrifice. The Doctor turns angrily to Halpen, and Dougie steps forward.

"Would you like a drink?" Sigma asks abruptly, stepping to Halpen's side.

"Ood Sigma, loyal to the last, eh?" The expression on Halpen's face looks confused, or perhaps ill; it's a bit hard to tell.

"Would you like a drink, sir?" Sigma says, holding out a glass.

"All this stress, you see, it is making me go bald," Halpen says almost conversationally to the others, reaching for the glass.

Faltering, he pulls his hand back, blinking questioningly at Ood Sigma. "You never offer. I always…ask. Have…have you been poisoning me?"

"It is not the Ood way. Ood must never kill," Ood Sigma replies.

"Oh…OOOoohhhh," the Doctor comments, and then asks, "Ood Sigma, what's in the drink?" The look on his face saying that he knows exactly what's about to happen.

"Doc?" Jack asks, trying to get his attention.

"Not now, Jack"

"But, Doc…"

"It is Ood graft suspended in a biologic compound, Doctor," Ood Sigma explains.

"Ahh…the three parts of the Ood revolution, Halpen," the Doctor steps forward to explain. "The red-eye manifested as revenge, the rabid Ood as anger, and then there was patience. All the Ood's intelligence and mercy, focused on Ood Sigma."

"The way has been prepared," Dougie says.

They couldn't see where it came from, but suddenly a gun appears in Halpen's hand, and he unsteadily points it Donna and Jack. Jack slips around Donna, placing himself in front of her; the Doctor steps forward to place himself between Halpen and his friends.

"I…I don't know what you've done, but…this…" Dropping the gun, Halpen clutches his belly and then his head in pain.

"Oh, I think the Ood have been preparing you for a very long time," the Doctor says almost casually, stuffing his hands in his pockets. "Rhyder lowered the shields and here you are, so close to the Ood Brain…can you hear it Halpen?" the Doctor taunts him.

"Doctor!" Jack says urgently, now grabbing his shoulder.

"Jack!" the Doctor mimics sarcastically. "What is your…"

"The way has been prepared," they hear come from below in a voice that is and is not Rose Tyler's.

Rushing to the barrier, the Doctor looks down to see Rose standing by the Ood Brain, eyes glowing gold. Reaching up as high as she can, the tip of her finger brushes one of the charges that the Doctor now sees are distributed around the barrier encircling the Ood Brain.

The Circle!

"Rose!" he shouts, as a burst of golden energy shoots from her hand and traces its way around the circle of pylons disabling the charges.

"Doctor!" Donna shouts frantically.

Torn by where to focus his attention, he glances toward Donna. Hearing a desperate and wet gasp, they all stare at Halpen. Clutching his skull, he begins pulling his skin away revealing the smooth pate of an Ood at the same time as his fresh sensory tentacles spill out of the orifice that used to be his mouth. Staring in awe and a little disgust, Rose is momentarily forgotten when in a last wet hacking cough, Halpen's new hindbrain pops out, landing in his hands. Looking up, the newly formed Ood, previously known as Halpen, blinks at his surroundings…confused.

Jack, the Doctor, and Donna are still staring aghast at the Ood that was once human when they hear the entire system begin powered down. Whipping his head around, the Doctor sees Dougie at the controls, switching everything off. Suddenly remembering that Rose is below with the Ood Brain, the Doctor rushes to the barrier, followed by Jack and Donna.

They see Rose step forward, splaying her hands just above the brain, and the golden glow that had been only in her eyes begins spreading across the brain. The Doctor looks panicky as he turns to search for the stairway down. Stopping him, Jack grips his shoulder. The Doctor is about to shout or punch Jack when he sees what has he and Donna riveted.

Moving to stations opposite Rose, Dougie and Ood Sigma mirror her stance, splaying their hands centimetres above the surface of the Ood brain. New energy flows from both of them, purple from Dougie and red from Ood Sigma, spreading across the brain and meeting Rose's gold. As the energies collide, the Song blasts forth from the Ood Brain so loud even Jack and Donna can hear it cry out in pure joy—free at last the Song is fed out and away from the Ood Sphere, reaching every single living Ood in the Empire.

Rose, Dougie, and Ood Sigma boost the signal, feeling in their minds as it leaps from Ood to Ood in a chain linking all them for the first time in 200 hundred years. When the last Ood is added to the matrix, the power winks out and all three of the amplifiers collapse to the floor.

* * *

**A/N: Phew! Sorry that was late. I was traveling this weekend, and just got back. There won't be an update Wednesday, I think. Who knows? I might surprise you. :-) I am packing up to move to the next event, and I'm not sure I'll have time to be online. There will definitely be an update Friday, if I don't make Wednesday. Thanks for staying with me. Two more Ood chapters, before the next adventure. Please review! Cheers!**


	16. A Brainstorming Session

**16 A Brainstorming Session**

Ignoring the need for stairs, the Doctor leaps the fence, his coat billowing around him like wings. Rolling to his feet on the floor below and running to her side, he pulls Rose's limp form into his arms, feeling frantically for her pulse and reaching for her mind. Receiving reassuring signs that she's only unconscious, and if everything he can feel is correct, then she and the baby are fine.

A warm wave of gratitude washes over him as he hugs Rose to himself. Closing his eyes, he can feel that it's coming for the Ood Brain. It is trying to communicate with him, and it feels very similar to his TARDIS. The communication reminds him of how She felt to him for so long, before he and Rose bonded...well, and Bad Wolf...and...well,lots of things. Relaxing, he allows the Brain to send him images and sensations, now that he knows Rose and the baby are safe.

It shows him disjointed but marvellously intriguing snapshots of Ood development and evolution—of its home in the far north. Then how the humans came, and the conversions, the move to this facility, the constant striving to reach beyond the barrier. When Rhyder came, it knew hope for the first time in a very long while.

And then it felt Dougie on the space station. It was in that moment, when they first touched, that the Ood Brain knew its salvation and the survival of its people was assured. Dougie could more than communicate with the Ood—he is a conduit through which the Ood Brain can communicate to the world outside the Ood Sphere. Until there are once again Ood Elders, Dougie is the only conduit available.

Pondering the possibilities around these observations, the Doctor is filled with wonder and a great many questions. Before he can ask any of them, the Ood Brain reaches out for him again.

The first image is of himself from the Ood's perspective on Space Station Alpha Episilon; the next another image of himself, obviously seen through Ood Delta 50's eyes; the final image is of he and Donna looking properly terrified with several Ood baring down on them with lit and dangerous translation balls.

An intense wave of apology follows these images, but is almost immediately replaced by the sound of the Doctor's own heartsbeat. Confused as to why the Brain is sending him this perception, he then hears it projected to him doubly. Understanding the Ood Brain is attempting to recognise Rose, The Doctor sends an acknowledgement. The next set of images are confusing, but through a golden haze, it appears that Rose, acting as the Bad Wolf was somehow known to the Ood Brain, and it recognised her through the unprocessed Ood in warehouse 13. She had been able to communicate to them, telling them that they were there to help, that all things happen for a reason, and the horrible situation the Ood found themselves in was about to stop.

Looking down at his remarkable wife, the Doctor wonders what's next in store for them. He can feel the edge of something coming, some event over the horizon, but there aren't enough clues yet. His worried contemplation is interrupted as he feels her begin to stir in his arms. With a groan and much blinking, Rose finds herself held close to the Doctor's chest, hearing the comforting syncopation of his hearts beating.

"Doctor! I…we…gah! My head! Dammit, I'm tired of this woo-woo stuff giving me headaches. Oh! The Song…my God, _Doctor_, can you hear that?" This disjointed and entirely Rose bit of commentary pulls a smile to the Doctor's face as his hugs her close and rests his cheek against her hair.

"Yes, Rose, I can hear it. Even Donna and Jack can hear it while we're still so close to the Ood Brain. Do you know what you did?" he asks her, leaning back a bit so she can look up at him. They can hear the pounding of steps on stairs as the others hurry to join them.

"Sort of. I can remember it, but it's like I'm looking through fog. I knew what I was doing at the time, though. I'm sorry I didn't warn you. The Bad Wolf bits are still a little…," she trails off looking for the word. She's incredibly tired, but the rubbing that the Doctor is doing to the base of her skull is taking the edge off the headache, and she feels like standing won't make her want to puke any longer.

"Unpredictable…unstable? Is that the word you're looking for?" he answers her with a small smile that then slides away to a hollow look in his eyes. "You scared me, Rose. All I could think about was you and the baby."

"Unpredictable will work," she agrees, smiling at him. "I'm so sorry I worried you," she apologises, laying a cool hand to his cheek lovingly. "I protected the baby the entire time; I promise." At his nod, she asks, "Can you help me stand? I want to check on Dougie and Ood Sigma," she says, sitting up so she can slide off his lap.

Pulling her to her feet, the Doctor holds her at arms length a moment gazing deeply into her eyes before wrapping her close once again-needing the reassurance. Letting her step back, he's pleased that she doesn't appear dizzy, the effects from the energy blast dissipating faster than he would have expected. He does feel a bit guilty now, knowing that he completely forgot about Dougie and Sigma in his haste to reach Rose. He'd flung himself over that ledge without a single thought to consequences…typical. Rose will probably have something choice to say when she hears about it.

"Oi, Spaceman! Are you a bat or something? Scared the hell out of us, you did with that leap into thin air," Donna tosses loudly in his direction as they reach the lower level. _Guess Rose finding out would be now-ish,_ the Doctor thinks to himself with an inner wince.

Glancing at his wife's arched eyebrow, the Doctor shrugs a little too nonchalantly before turning back and saying to Donna, "Check on Ood Sigma, would you? We've got Dougie."

Rose and the Doctor reach Dougie just as Donna and Jack make it to Ood Sigma's side, followed closely by the new Ood that had once been Halpen.

"Dougie, it's Rose. Are you okay?" Dougie is just stirring as they kneel beside him and she takes his hand in hers. He feels cooler than usual, but he's smiling at her even before opening his eyes.

"Rose, my friend, I am well. My head is a bit tender, and it seems very bright in here, but everything is where I left it," he jokes. Eyelids fluttering, it takes him a similar moment to really come back to himself. Pressing his finger tips to his eyes, he rubs them and his forehead as Rose and the Doctor help him sit up. Finally, looking up at them with a genuine and very Dougie smile, Rose and the Doctor stare; his eyes are a clear, gorgeous lavender—the colour of lilacs in spring.

"Dougie, your eyes, ummm…they're purple. They were purple when you came for the Doctor and Donna, too," Rose whispers, feeling strangely saddened and not understanding yet why.

"I expect that they are. The Ood Brain and I are now connected. The red-eye that frightened the humans is the outward sign of the Ood communicating with the Ood Brain. They naturally have a sort of hive mind," he explains as the rest of the gang and the two Ood join them.

"A communication you have helped restore. I feel the connection between myself and all of Ood kind, now. We are most grateful to you." Ood Sigma says through the translation sphere, bowing slightly to Rose.

"I don't understand," the Doctor begins, stepping up beside Rose. "If you can hear the Ood Brain without your hindbrain, then what did you need Dougie and Rose for?"

"Doctor, there are more processed Ood at the moment than natural Ood, and will be for some time. They can hear each other because of me. I am the conduit, transmitter, and translator of the purely telepathic signals coming from the Ood Brain for the entirety of the processed Ood," Dougie explains to them all, but he's looking intently at Rose.

"You're going to stay," she says brokenly, feeling all the events slide into place. "_The way has been prepare_d; we kept saying that—it was prepared for you."

"For us, Rose Tyler; one of us alone could not have sent the signal to bring the Ood home. The Ood needed all of us, to be free; they need me to learn how to stay that way," Dougie replies gently.

"But Dougie, you really want to _stay_ here…on this ice ball?" Donna asks, saddened by the news.

She and Jack had watched in horror as the Doctor threw himself over the edge to reach Rose. Rushing to the barrier, they were afraid they'd see him broken on the floor beneath them. The image of him rolling gracefully to his feet and running to Rose will be burned in Donna's mind forever. In a haze of relief, they had run back to locate the stairway, and finally made it to the lower floor as Ood Sigma was stirring. She was sure everything would be alright now. They could go someplace new, preferably some place warm…with less running…maybe a week on San Helios, but now…Dougie's staying?

"Dearest Donna, I have found my purpose. The reason I survived all those millennia is this moment, this time, and these people. They need me," he explains, hoping she'll understand.

"But what if we need you?" she asks, eyes brimming with tears. Jack moves up beside her, pulling her close. She clings to him, still staring at Dougie. Today has been very difficult for her, and ending it with losing a friend, makes Donna feel very vulnerable. She doesn't like the feeling.

"I'm not dying, Donna," he replies with a glimmer of his usual smile. "Think of it as a separate vacation. We will see each other again. I know it to be true."

The Doctor looks up sharply at that comment, wondering if the connection to the Ood Brain gives Dougie more power/perception/ability than he's saying. He's distracted from these thoughts by Donna detaching herself from Jack's side to throw herself into Dougie's embrace.

"We'll come visit, yeah," she says wetly into his robe. "And if the Ood don't need you later on, you can come back, right?"

"You'll always be welcome, Dougie. You have your key, you'll know we're coming when it warms up," the Doctor says with a lopsided smile. "You should at least come with us to say goodbye to the Ol' Girl, and I'm sure you have a little packing to do."

The Doctor feels the sadness of Dougie's leaving pulling at his hearts. He hadn't realised how intricately the tall Tanu had woven himself into their lives until his departure was imminent. The Doctor knows that his companions generally leave, and he's usually thought about what would happen when they did. He's had plenty of experience with every variety of leave-taking from death to a happy wave, but it rarely surprised him. Dougie's leaving is surprising, and while he understands, he doesn't have to like it.

Receiving a soft mental touch from Rose, he feels her own sadness wash over him as well. She loves Dougie like a brother and hates to see him go-no matter how necessary it is, but she surprises the Doctor twice in nearly as many minutes by most of her sorrow being for him. Knowing that losing such an empathetic confidant will be hard on him, now that they've had nearly a year together. Dougie has been like a brother to him. A lone individual whose race has moved on without him, leaving him barren of the comfort of belonging-that's Dougie, but it's also himself. Losing Dougie, even temporarily, will be akin to losing his people again-though on a much smaller scale, of course. His mind will be that much quieter. The Doctor hadn't realised how important that extra hum has been to him, until now-knowing he has to leave and Dougie will be staying.

Thanking everything holy that he can think of (but doesn't really believe in) for Rose. He pulls her close, hugging her tightly to himself, communicating silently to her how they'll all be fine—he'll be fine—but he's eternally grateful for her and her constant support and understanding...and the hum in the back of his mind that's all her.

Stepping back from the Doctor, Rose takes a moment to regain her composure before turning back to Dougie.

"Well, let's get this show on the road, shall we? We have to get back to the TARDIS first before any real goodbyes need to happen, right?" she asks with a light smile that does nothing to hide the sorrow in her eyes.

"Dougie, please say you'll stay to have at least one more supper with us on the TARDIS. I'm starving, and I know She'll want to say goodbye, too," Donna entreats him.

Looking at the concerned faces of his friends…no, _family…_Dougie feels truly loved. He knows this is sudden, but he'd felt the rightness of it immediately; and when the Ood Brain asked for help, it never occurred to him to refuse. Now, seeing how much he means to them shining in their faces, his love for them swells in his heart.

The Ood will need him for many years to come, but luckily he's not even middle-aged amongst his own people and has centuries still open to him. Plus, he _knows_ he will see them again. In brief, glowing instants, Dougie is periodically showered with glimpses of things that can only be the future. He has no idea how the Ood Brain's consciousness can encompass time, but he has no power to stop the cascade. He has seen fleeting images of great cities to come for the Ood, the Ood Elders returning, and a challenge that must be faced. When focusing on his TARDIS family, the glimpses are quicker, almost too fast to follow, but there will be love and loss in near equal measure. Dougie knows he can't and shouldn't try to explain what _he_ hardly understands, but the desire to give comfort is nearly overwhelming.

His new partner, the Ood Brain, feels his hesitation and grief and sends him a wave of understanding. He should go, spend the evening with his family. It will be many days before the Ood begin returning. He can have some time on his own. This is shown to Dougie through pictures, emotions, and alien thoughts that he isn't quite able to completely interpret yet, but he gets the gist of it…Go, have fun.

Feeling the Ood consciousness recede to the back of his mind, Dougie nods to them and says with a smile, "It seems I do not have to start my new job today, and I've been given the weekend off."

_{Brother Dougron, I will go and begin preparing for the returning Ood-kind. We will meet you near the Singing Ship before She departs,}_ Ood Sigma tells Dougie silently.

Turning to Ood/Halpen, Ood Sigma leads him toward the exit; they have a lot of work to do before their brethren begin returning. Ood/Halpen looks back at the group once, before heading up the stairs with Ood Sigma.

"What will happen to Halpen, Dougie?" Jack asks.

"He is Ood-kind now, and they will take care of him. He is unprocessed and so will begin by assisting the returning Ood's reintegration," Dougie replies to him. "They cannot grow back what was removed from them, but they can be taught to listen differently. The Ood Brain has had 200 years to work on potential solutions; some of them are quite remarkable," he says, smiling proudly.

It is that proud smile that soothes some of the hurt in Rose's hearts. He really is meant for this. She'd known deep inside herself when they'd first agreed to invite him aboard that he survived for a reason. Selfishly, she'd hoped they were that reason but she knew otherwise, even if she didn't want to admit it.

Seeing his eyes return to a shade more like his own, a light blue-violet with only a hint of the Ood Brain's red shading them, the Doctor chooses to be pleased for his friend. He'll miss Dougie's quick mind, unique understanding, and nimble fingers, but he's also thrilled for him. Dougie is perfect for what the Ood need in this precarious transition.

The Doctor previously would have just turned them loose and let them worry about the clean up on their own. Even he has to admit to himself that that wasn't always the best decision…for either party. These sorts of thoughts always lead him back to Rose. She wouldn't be able to leave them floundering around trying to relearn what it means to be free and self-sufficient; she'd want to help. They brought the means and the solution for this revolution with them. It means they lose Dougie for a time, but the Ood will be much better for his staying, and he will benefit as well.

The Doctor knew Dougie enjoyed traveling with them, and was sometimes almost painfully grateful, but he didn't _need_ them.

Losing his ties to his origins had been hard on Dougie, just as it had been for the Doctor. But the Doctor had found Rose, in the most unlikely of places, and in her his purpose lay. Now Dougie has found the Ood, and the Doctor is almost eager to see what happens next. How will the Ood develop? What will Dougie's influence change? Will the Ood inspire Dougie in ways the Doctor can't foresee?

These questions and others bounce around the inside of the Doctor's mind as they reach the exit and move out into the evening air. Donna and Jack's chattering to Dougie breaks off abruptly as they see clusters of Ood already clearing up the mess their revolution left behind.

Many are gently moving the bodies of the fallen humans to lay in neat rows, awaiting identification and a ship to retrieve them. More are laying the fallen Ood out as well. Others are putting out fires and gathering debris. Looking around, there is at least one unprocessed Ood, whose eyes are a purple-tinged red with each group, directing their movements. There are a few humans, but they are rapidly filing into one of the ships that had landed earlier in the day. From their movements and agitation, it is obvious they are eager to be away.

Ood Sigma is speaking to one of the humans a little ways from the ship. Concluding their business, the man steps back, bows slightly, and then holds out a hand that the Ood clasps simply in his for a moment before they both move in different directions—Ood Sigma toward warehouse 14 and the human into the waiting ship.

"That was Jan Ilanowski, a Friend of the Ood. It is lucky that he was here. He had just joined Dr. Rhyder's team last week. Ood Sigma hid him when the tide was turning so he would not be a casualty of friendly fire, as it were. He'll work with me and be our Human Liaison to assist in the Ood's return," Dougie explains the group, knowing they were wondering.

"Can you hear them all, Dougie?" Rose asks, her eyes wide in wonder at what that means for Dougie.

"Yes and no, Rose," he replies. As he begins to lead them toward the TARDIS, he continues explaining, "I can, if I choose, focus on any one Ood and hear them; but my true purpose is literally to be a conduit. I am uniquely qualified to be a lens the Ood Brain can use to communicate to the rest of its brood. It has currently pulled back as far as it can and still maintain a link to Ood it can communicate with—the Unprocessed and Sigma. The natural Ood can still link telepathically with the Ood Brain through me, and can then tell the Processed Ood what needs to be done. That is why there is a natural Ood with each group of Processed Ood."

"Were you speaking for the Ood Brain when you rescued Donna and me earlier?" the Doctor asks.

"Yes, it…we…_understand_ one another on a nearly chemical level," he attempts to explain. "Perhaps it was my exposure to the TARDIS, but I feel I almost translate the Ood Brain in the way She translates languages for us. Being more corporeal than She is, I can actually speak for the Ood Brain."

"So, that's why your eyes were neon purple when you rescued us, then." Donna states nodding. "It was really impressive. A little disconcerting though, just so you know. It might freak out the humans a bit when you speak to them on behalf of Itself." Grinning, Donna likes the idea of putting all the CEOs that had supported this heinous industry off their stride when their great, big glowing-eyed Tanu lays down the new rules for them. She'd love to be a fly on that wall.

"Apparently so, Donna; I was a bit busy to notice," he teases her and earns himself a swat for it.

Making a turn around a snow covered hill, they can no longer see the facility or the landing field. Returning to the joking banter that colours their usual interactions, Jack, Dougie, and the Doctor start making plans to see the rest of the Ood Sphere over Dougie's mini-Holiday. Rose and Donna are excitedly making plans for dinner, and maybe a cake…or two. Might as well make it a party.

* * *

**A/N: Once again I apologise for the delay. Thanks for being so patient! I got home last night, and now that my office is set back up here's the new chapter. :-) -sigh- I don't want to see Dougie stay! Stupid muse -pout- Monday's chapter is: And Fill to Me the Parting Glass.**


	17. So, Fill to Me the Parting Glass

**17 So, Fill to Me the Parting Glass**

The Ood allow Dougie three days to spend with his TARDIS family. There is a great deal of food. Jack, Rose, and Donna going all out to make everyone's favourites as well as several Tanu dishes that Darling helps Rose make especially for Dougie—her own contribution.

When they aren't laying around the TARDIS complaining about being overfed, the team goes exploring. Borrowing one of the abandoned ships, Jack flew them around the planet, landing anywhere that looked interesting. They visited to Great Northern Glacier and its counterpart at the southern pole, finding evidence of more Ood, but no actual persons.

The magnificent ice caves abutting the Northern Glacier earned an entire day of exploration. Not cities exactly, but enormous den-like caverns that once housed thousands of Ood-kind. Cleverly fashioned light tunnels bounced and reflected sunlight down into the main caverns so it was lit from within like a glowing crystal palace. Donna and Rose were speechless at the incredible beauty of the Ood's original home. Unfortunately, everything was not so beautiful.

The tunnels the Ood had used leading from the home caverns to where the Ood-Brain had lain were a testament to the destructive force that uncaring humans could have on unwary peoples. Still littered with two centuries-old bones and the carbon scoring of a one-sided battle, the blasted open tunnel walls and exploded ceilings still held silent vigil for their murdered inhabitants. The Time Lords and their companions were also silent in their observations of the place. Moving through the debris of many years, they make certain that the horror is acknowledged-a starting point to make sure it doesn't ever happen again.

* * *

Exploring the more temperate equatorial regions reveals more diverse life. Being mostly ocean dotted with islands, much of the life is seabird-like creatures with wings of skin like a bat, several varieties of reptile-like amphibians, and many, many fish…well, they're like fish, anyway. According to Dougie, the Ood are the only sentient life on the planet. He tells them the Ood brain showed him that the under-glacial oceans are teeming with bacterial life and fish of all kinds, but nothing else has evolved large enough to hold intelligence.

When Dougie finally relays that he has felt the call and it is his last day, Jack takes them off planet to explore the planetarily dense solar system. Rose is thrilled to get such a good view of the ringed planet the Ood Sphere orbits. Its washed-out and diverse bands of blue and green storms are definitely a highlight of the trip. There is one other gaseous giant that helps to maintain the gravitational balance between the binary star system and the half dozen other rocky planets. They do a flyby of the Sense Sphere, but far enough away to not trip the proximity alert beacon warning them off. The Doctor tells them it is the only other inhabited planet—the others too far out or too near the suns to sustain life.

Upon landing back at the docking field, Donna makes a point of telling the Doctor that while their borrowed Space Ferrari was fun, it was too small and it's not like it can travel in _time_—the TARDIS is way better.

The grin that splits his face at her declaration is worth all the earlier grumbling. He's so delighted, that he actually makes a point to notice a couple of nice amenities the ship did have that he should add to the TARDIS. Laughingly, they joke and tease each other while sharing their favourite parts of the day's adventures as they walk through the crisp white snow. Rounding the last turn to the TARDIS, they see Ood Sigma and six natural Ood waiting for them arrayed in an arc.

Realising that this is it—their final minutes with Dougie—sobers everyone's spirits.

"Well, I see the sendoff crew has arrived," the Doctor says, stuffing his hands in his pockets and doing a passable job of not letting the disappointment show on his face.

"Ood Sigma, it's good to see you again. Are the preparations going well?" Rose asks, also doing her best to stay cheerful in the face of Dougie's departure.

"All objectives are progressing well. Many Ood are in transit, but there is still much to be accomplished. We have come to bid you farewell for now," Ood Sigma tells them.

The Doctor has a very odd feeling about this moment. Looking at Rose, he sees her brow is drawn up as well. It isn't a fixed point…not exactly, but a serious shift is about to happen. He holds back as Donna and Jack move to Dougie's side for embraces and well wishes.

Letting his other senses slide forward, the Doctor stiffens to remain upright. The number of timelines currently being affected is staggering. The possibilities are so thick and dense, quivering in anticipation, that he can only maintain his grip on that 'sight' for a few seconds before he lets it fall away again, breathing hard; his hearts thumping in his chest.

Rose squeezes his hand and he looks over to her. "Did you just try to see what's going on?" she asks quietly, Donna and Jack's tearful laughter with Dougie covering her words.

"Yes, and it was a mistake, don't…," he begins, but then trails off at her pained smile. "Oh. You already did." Quirking a grin at her, he asks, "So what do you think?"

"I think I'll wait and see what happens before I try that again, thank you," she replies with her own smile. "We should join them, before it seems odd that we're hanging back."

Nodding, the Doctor and Rose step up to the group wishing Dougie the best…"keep in touch"…"it's a super-phone for a reason"…"if you need anything…"

"My friends, we will see each other again, I promise," he tells them, smiling broadly. The Doctor can feel that he's saddened, but also excited to begin—this is right.

"Thank you for everything you have given me in our time together. I was lost and only treading water on Earth, alone and forgotten. The day Gracious Tana dropped you in my backyard was the best day of my life. I will think of you all each and every day. Be well, my friends. Tana's blessing on your travels." Dougie touches or hugs each of them briefly before actively stepping back from the group to stand beside Ood Sigma, and surrounded by the other Ood.

Shuffling toward the TARDIS, they stop before Her to wave again as Ood Sigma and Dougie take a step forward together. All the Ood's eyes are red and Dougie's are an electric purple. At once they can hear the enormity of the Ood's Song in the air around them.

"There will always be a place for you in the Song, Doctor and Bad Wolf. Our children's children will sing of our brother Dugron's family and their singing Ship. You will never be forgotten, and your names will be carried by the wind, ice, and snow," Ood Sigma tells them, the Ood behind them raising their hands and adding a new melody to the Song that must be theirs.

Rose is moved to tears by the beauty and grace in the Song. The strains of hope, happiness, and rebirth weaving into a great symphony of love.

"We have our Song, too, and we will sing of your bravery and perseverance through time and distance. Take care of Dougie; his Song is important to us," Rose tells them, letting the tears fall down freely, most of them are happy ones.

Dougie, speaking for the Ood Brain, smiles, but then looks pained as he says sadly, "There is a Song that will end soon, but we will remember."

Moving protectively in front of Rose, the Doctor's expression turns stern. "What's that supposed to mean, then?" he asks, the Oncoming Storm not so distant in his eyes at this moment.

"All Songs must end at some point, Doctor," he says enigmatically, glancing at each of them for a moment. "Ours will always include the songs of the Doctor, Donna, Bad Wolf, and Jack who brought us our Brother Dugron. You will always have our gratitude."

Smiling gently, he turns and leads the Ood away back toward the work that has only just begun.

"Well, that was cryptic," Rose says. She'd felt a shiver race down her spine at his words, the prophecy of the Beast still fresh in her mind. Who would it be this time?

Sensing her thoughts, the Doctor turns to her, placing both hands on either side of her face and kissing her gently before resting his forehead to hers.

"He could have meant anything, Rose. It could be a sun going nova that we like to visit or any number of things…"

"Or he could have meant one of us. I know the possibilities, too. He could just mean change; all endings are beginnings, right?" she asks, smiling against his embrace.

"That's exactly right, my brave Rose."

_-I love you- _

_-I love you, too, my Doctor-_

"That was a bit weird, yeah?" Donna asks as the Doctor and Rose turn hand in hand to join them at the TARDIS doors.

"Weirder than our friend being possessed by a giant, pulsing brain in a building, staying to help a nearly completely disabled race that are born with extra brains in their hands, and you think this last bit was weird?" Jack quips, doing his best to lighten the mood. Successful, he pulls a laugh from Rose and Donna as they open the doors and file inside, each person taking their place around the console.

But when passing Jack, the Doctor can see the shadow in Jack's eyes that he knows is mirrored in his own. What did the Ood Brain mean, and how would they be affected?

Upon reaching her station, Donna immediately asks if they can visit Earth and her family before the Doctor can even inquire about destinations. She wants to visit Wilf and her mum after everything thats happened.

Picking a time a couple of months after their last visit, the Doctor turns and receives a little wave and grin from Rose that she's all strapped in, before throwing the dematerialisation switch.

Wheezing and fading from view on the Ood Sphere, only the TARDIS knows that Dougie came back to watch, his blue-violet eyes filled with longing and heartache.

* * *

**A/N: -Sigh- While I love that Dougie stays to help the Ood, losing him for even a while makes me sad. I've grown quite fond of the big, lanky lump. :-) Ahh, well, onwards and outwards. Wednesday's chapter titled, Lost in a Lost World.**

**Many thanks to Akayuki Sawada and Mirrowflower and Darkwind for the lovely reviews. -hugs- And a thank you to Momma Faraday and the other guests that review. I would love to thank you in replies, but that isn't possible for guests. Thank you very much all the same! Reviews are a lovely thing to receive. :-)**


	18. Lost, in a Lost World

**18 Lost in a Lost World**

"I miss you, Papa," the young woman whispers, reaching forward and laying a handful of lush, bright yellow tulips on the grave before her. It reads…

In Loving Memory

Cherished Father and Husband

John David MacDonald

b. April 18th 1811—d. July 3rd 1884.

Beside the worn marble stone is set another, somewhat more weathered…

In loving memory

Beloved Wife and Mother

Athena Leira MacDonald

b. November 20th 1823—d. July 2nd 1864.

"Oh, Papa. You wouldn't believe what's changed. I miss you so much. My time is almost finished, and …" Looking up, the young woman suddenly stills, her oddly large, copper-coloured eyes darting to the shadows between trees and behind the other stones in the cemetery, zeroing in on even the minutest movements. It's been thirty long years since she last tried to visit her parents. Tensely, she waits to see if whatever she sensed manifests itself. Even with her more heightened senses, she doesn't hear or smell anything out of place; so after waiting, poised to run for a minute, she relaxes again and picks up where she left off.

"I think I might be the last, Momma. I know I never knew you, but I remember…everything—I'm not ready to die," she gasps quietly to the stones before her, the silent tears tracking her cheeks. Leaning forward, she lays a hand on each stone and bows her head in grief that still feels as fresh as it did when she stood by and watched them bury her father here so many years ago. Then, this cemetery had many mile of farmland between it and the centre of Chicago. Now, it's an easy bus ride to the Lake and Downtown, all of it populated and bustling.

Changes…there have been so many—cars, planes, computers…hell, electricity. Her scattered thoughts are brought back to clarity in an instant as she hears the soft sound of a foot sliding through grass, trying to be quiet. That's what has her attention—the _attempt_ at stealth. Stupid Humans, no matter how hard they try…

This disparaging thought is cut off by the shout of, "NOW!" Springing to her feet, she moves to leap over her mother's grave, but abruptly finds herself wadded up in a net of glossy pale fibres, rapidly being drawn toward a group of people some fifty feet behind her.

Instincts taking control, she divides herself—the feeling of slipping from one form, storing the extra energy and sliding into another, overwhelming her conscious thoughts. With a small whump of compressed air, the net that was once holding a small, struggling humanoid, flies into the air empty, falling at the feet of the leader in a pile.

"Was the tracking dust in place?" he asks, eyes narrowed and searching the grass and air for their quarry.

"Yes, Sir! We should be online momentarily," his aide says, staring intently at a handheld tracking device.

The tall, imposing figure is easily distinguished as the leader of the five-man team. He's a head taller than the rest and he inhabits his grey uniform as if born to it. His grey hair and wind-blown features are a testament to his dedication to the cause, the many years he's given his service to the Sentinels of the New Dawn—the black eagle born from a sun's disk, the proud badge on his shoulder. The four other members of his team are dressed similarly, but without the metallic glint at their collars denoting his high rank.

"Colonel Vargas, we have a signal. She's moving to the south and west, Sir."

"Excellent. Pack us up, Baker. I want to be on the move in 3 minutes."

"Yes, Sir!" is chorused from the rest of his team as they efficiently pack up the net, and retrieve the listening devices they'd set around the area.

Striding back toward the grey SUV, Colonel Vargas counts today as a success. It would have been nice if they could have caught the alien outright, but the chase is much more fun. Standing beside his door as his team packs them out of the cemetery, he takes a deep breath of the warm summer air. It's a gorgeous early June afternoon with the sun bright, birds singing, and his prey running frightened and alone. He just knew today was going to be a good day. Climbing into the vehicle, he signals his readiness and they take off down North Clark toward West Irving Park, intent on their hunt.

* * *

As a small mouse, the strange girl runs as fast as her tiny legs can take her, dodging between stones and fallen branches. Eventually realising that she isn't being pursued directly, she shifts forms again. Just as she's being eyed by an observant stray cat, who's only thought is what a tasty snack she'd make, he suddenly changes his mind when the mouse becomes a much larger raven, turning a baleful eye in his direction. Squawking her amusement, she ruffles her wings.

Hopping up on a gravestone, and then a tree limb, she can't see the men that had attempted to catch her. She couldn't have lost them that easily.

The last time they played this little game, they'd pursued her for three days before she finally lost them, by hopping a train once she'd decided to shake them. She'd expended a great deal of energy those three days in 1984, trying to figure these guys out. She didn't learn much more than that they were tenacious, they knew what she was, and they _wanted_ her—none of those traits made her feel safe.

Taking to the wing, she moves off, trying to locate her hunters. Just as she's thinking she's experienced a miracle, she sees the grey SUV below her. Screaming her defiance, she begins looking for somewhere she can hide that they won't find her. Everywhere she turns though, they follow. She backtracks up Ashland, takes a hard right toward the lake but they're always a few blocks behind her. However, they're tracking her has gotten much more sophisticated.

She is starting to tire when she catches sight of Wrigley Field. There must be a game tonight, as the parking lot is already filling and the big lights are lit. Crowds are hard because her eyes give her away as different; but she's child-sized, and the anonymity possible by hiding as a lost kid amidst a crowd of protective adults has worked in the past. She'll just have to get a ball cap.

Turning a bit east, she makes directly for the field. As she's looking for a likely tree to land in, one she can climb out of, she senses a dimensional shift breathing into existence not far from her. She has no idea what could be causing it, but she recognises the feeling. It's similar to— though on a much larger scale—the way in which she hides her excess mass when shifting forms, and she has an instinctual feeling it could be something that can help her.

Falling from the sky, she makes a beeline for the rupture.

* * *

"You really think it's a good idea to leave them on their own, Doctor?" Rose asks as she gathers up the picnic basket and cushions the Doctor told her they'd need for their outing.

"Of course, their safe! They're Donna's family, she knows how to get in touch with us, and she's the one that asked to visit. We said hello, so I don't see why we needed to stick around," he says, moving to the doors to open them for Rose.

"What you really mean is that you wanted away from Sylvia. Two hours was too much, yeah?" Rose smirks at his consternated look. "It's okay, really. She was getting on my nerves, too. One more passive aggressive remark about how we aren't possibly paying Donna enough and I might have shown her the event horizon of a collapsing star somewhere," she says with a grin.

"I think she's actually a Slitheen," the Doctor teases as he pushes the door open and steps out, ready to help Rose with their picnic stuff. Rose's giggle makes his smile even wider. Observing his gorgeously pregnant bondmate in her flirty, brightly patterned sundress ready for an outing makes him want to shout to the world how happy they are. He won't, of course, but if his smile gets any bigger, he's sure his face will split.

Rose understands Donna's need to see a bit of home every now and again. She's the most human of all of them, and the Ood Sphere showed her a side to humanity that she had once innocently hoped her species would grow out of. That violence and selfishness were a symptom of humanity's childhood, not a permanent trait. It was a lesson Rose hadn't enjoyed learning either, but it wasn't one she allowed to change her wonder and regard for humans in the future. Luckily they weren't all like that. Rose just hoped that Donna would make the same assessment. Having Jack and his 51st Century charms with her would help. Rose didn't want to think about losing Donna _and_ Dougie.

It's these thoughts that Rose is sifting through in the back of her mind as she and the Doctor head out of the TARDIS and into the sunshine of the Doctor's surprise.

Just as the door opens fully, they're both startled by the flapping of huge black wings and the raucous scream of a large bird that arrows its way inside, taking a turn around the console room before disappearing deeper into the TARDIS.

With a small shriek, Rose had dropped the basket and cushions as she ducked to avoid being hit by the frenzied flapping. Helping her to her feet, the Doctor looks off quizzically after the bird's flight, but makes no move to follow it.

"Oi! Are we just going to leave it then?" Rose asks as her hearts finally begin to slow.

"Yep! It isn't the first winged friend I've had in the TARDIS. I'm not worried about it. If it gets to be a nuisance, the TARDIS will let it out of Her own accord. Otherwise, imagine how cool it is. We have our own raven!" he says excitedly. "I should take you to meet Edgar Allen Poe! He can be fun. Well, by fun I mean a bit depressing, and by depressing I mean he's not very fun at all—dead brilliant at storytelling, though. But today, Rose Tyler, it is June 5th, 2014 and we have a baseball game to go see."

Helping her pick up the dropped picnic paraphernalia, they head out of the TARDIS.

"We're in America?" she asks, looking around her at the glimmering brightness of the summer day and the enormous edifice of a ballpark to her right blocking some of the sky from view.

"Yes indeedy! Oh, _never_ let me say that again," a look of distaste flashing across his features before his usual good spirits return. "We are, in fact, in Chicago at Wrigley Field, and the Cubs are about to play the New York Mets," he states holding up a pair of actual tickets. "It will be a brilliant game. Are you ready for hotdogs with relish and onions? And bags of peanuts tossed at you?"

Grinning at his enthusiasm, she moves away from the TARDIS so he can close the doors. Pulling out his sonic, he places Her out of sync so no one accidentally wanders into Her. With as crowded as it's getting, that could be a real possibility. Picking up their basket, blankets, and cushions, Rose and the Doctor make their way toward the entrance gates, chatting about the many forms baseball has taken over the centuries and on other planets.

Neither of them notices the group of men that come running out of the trees. They fan out combing the area for their prey, but come up empty handed.

"She was right here, Sir, and then nothing. The signal just vanished."

"How can the signal vanish, Baker? I thought that was the point of the nanotechnology. It would stay with her even when she shifted." Vargas' voice is tightly controlled, but his aide swallows nervously before answering.

"Sir, that's true, but the scanner is no longer picking her up. We can track the nano-bots, but they don't have cameras. Until the scanner reads them up again, we have no way to track her."

Growling, Vargas makes a tight circle around his team, almost as if he's trying to smell their quarry. Looking up at the sky and then back down to the ground and out at the crowd that's showing no signs of disturbance, he stops. The square of flattened grass could be anything, but it certainly isn't a clue. Defeat is not a feeling he enjoys and this is the third time she's eluded him. He won't just sit back and let it happen. That isn't his way.

"Bury a sensor here. Return to the grave and bury two more on either end of the cemetery. I would like a five mile blanket with this as the epicentre in the next hour. See it done," he orders. Turning on his heel, he returns to the SUV to report. His team scurries in all directions. They know exactly what he'll be like for the foreseeable future, and none of them want to be in his crosshairs.

* * *

Io finds herself flying deep into the corridors of the miraculous ship she'd located at the dimensional rupture. She'd barely registered the two humanoids she'd swooped past to enter, so desperate was she to escape her pursuers. Finally growing tired of both the exertion and holding her current shape, she finds herself in a high domed room with a wall of windows and filled with books. Coming to rest on the floor, she allows her natural shape to slide back into place.

With another whump of displaced air, Io finds herself lying back on the soft burnt orange carpeting, looking up at an alien sky filled with alien stars. She should really try to figure out where she is, but she's so tired. For some reason she knows she's alone, but protected. Feeling entirely safe for the first time in years, and without even realising it, her eyes drift shut and she's immediately sound asleep.

* * *

Finding herself awake and in an unfamiliar place has Io scrambling awkwardly to her feet, peering around nervously and straining all of her senses to hear or feel the presence of anyone that might mean her harm.

With a tiny yelp, she dives between sofas, crouching behind one when she hears an increase in the all-pervasive humming and a quick flashing of the lights.

The bone deep weariness she feels tells her that she hasn't slept long enough to shift forms again. She'll have to stay hidden. Pressed to the back of the couch for what feels like an eternity, Io slowly gets back to her feet. The ship she's in must have some sort of automatic systems, and they are what startled her. _Silly girl,_ she tells herself.

She shrugs in silent comment to her own skittishness and moves further into the room. She has never personally been in a spaceship of any kind. She has all of her mother's memories, as any female Leiran would, but they're not the same as actual experience.

Walking to the windows, she leans close, taking in the luminous vista below her. The two suns are shining brightly on the cloud tops that fill her view into the distance—their soft greys and deeper reflected blues soothing to her. Out in the far distance, Io can see the peaks of mountains poking out of the weather. It must be wet below for the thickness of the cloud cover.

Is this where she is? Thinking back over the past day's activities, she can't imagine that she isn't still on Earth. She fell asleep, but it must have only been for a couple of hours. The cycling up of the engines would have woken her, she's sure of it. There aren't any engine noises now, either. Laying herself on the floor, she places a sensitive ear to the carpeting, listening for the hum of idling interstellar generators—nothing. There is the soft hum that seems to be everywhere, but the oscillations are wrong for it to be a propulsion system.

Getting to her feet again with a quizzical expression, she resumes her exploration. There are two staircases that lead up and into an area of book shelves—two-stories of them, in fact. With a deep sigh of contentment, Io wanders through the shelves, brushing the spines lightly with her fingertips.

She's loved books her entire life. Her father taught her to read from her mother's collection. There were manuscripts from the likes of Darwin and Lyell, Melvill and Herschel, but also fictional works by authors like Charlotte Turner Smith and Jane Austen. Io enjoyed the novels, but her loves as a child were the poetry of Burns and Wordsworth.

Growing up in the infant United States her education began with emersion in the French and British authors for everything but political rhetoric. Her father was a stout federalist, and she cut her teeth on the likes of Jefferson and Paine; but as the 19th Century progressed, the US produced more authors capable of holding the interest of her romantic heart, though she was still firmly in love with the later Victorian British Aesthetic Movement and the French and British artists that made art shine like a beacon against the harsh reality of creating a civilised country from the unfriendly American frontier.

By the time of her father's death in 1885, Chicago had completely recovered from the fire that had devastated it only 14 years earlier and would soon host one of the greatest events the world had ever seen, the Columbian Exposition—The World's Fair of 1893.

Shaking her head, Io surfaces from her thoughts of the past as she kicks a book that has fallen to the floor. Fearing that she had somehow caused it to shift, she picks it up gazing at the title and freezes, nearly dropping the book.

**_A Short Tale of How a Lost Leiran Finds Herself in the Doctor and Rose's TARDIS_**

**_Created by Darling_**

On the cover is a stylised picture of a blonde woman holding hands with a smiling tall, brown haired man—the people she had flown past earlier, Io now remembers.

Io looks around for how it could have found itself at her feet. Opening it, she sees each chapter is illustrated with a pen and ink drawing very much in the style of E.H. Shepard and his Winnie the Pooh; all delicately watercolored. The first chapter illustration shows her raven entering a blue Police Box of all things, startling the couple who have ducked low to miss her; their wide-eyed expressions making her smile.

Turning the page, she begins reading. The story starts with how she got to where she is in the Library, and how she found the book. The next chapters explain simply about the Ship she's on—the TARDIS (ahh, that's who Darling is)—and Her companions, the Time Lords—Rose and the Doctor. Reading that her unintentional hosts are Time Lords sparks a cascade of race memory that gives her at least an idea about her hosts. She moves to a wall, sliding down it to the floor, taking a moment from her book as she delves into what she knows about them.

Her fore-mothers' memories do not exactly mesh with what the book tells her about Time Lords. She '_remembers'_ them as stuffy and pretentious, barely respecting the Shadow Proclamation and its rules and statutes as a multi-galactic governing body. Her new book, though, shows little glimpses of the Doctor helping people across Time and Space and his mate Rose ever by his side while they go hand in hand saving civilisations, lost puppies, and the lives of billions as they cruise the Universe.

Feeling marginally less frightened by what might happen when they return and eventually discover their stowaway, she dives back into her reading. Learning that the ship she's on is one of the Time Lord's Sentient Time Capsules. That explains the constant hum, the lack of engines, and the overactive lighting. Feeling a tickle at the back of her mind, she glances up from her place on the floor where she's propped against the wall. Noticing a blinking green light on the floor, it immediately races along, tracing a path around the corner of the shelves she's nearest. Intrigued, she stands to follow it, gripping the book tightly in her hands.

Reaching the end of a row, she sees the line of lights leading toward the back wall of this first level of shelving. Reaching the back corner, there's a staircase leading up. Following it and her light trail, she's led to a door just her size on the very back wall behind shelves filled with books of alien poetry.

Opening the little door, Io peers in and sees a room designed for her directly from her memories of Leira and the houses of her foremothers. Amazed and grateful, she steps into the room. Behind her, the door closes silently and vanishes from sight.

* * *

**A/N: Good Morning! So, here's the first part of my Leiran adventure. I'm thinking it will be about 7 chapters or so. I hope you enjoy it! Thanks for reading and reviewing! :-)**


	19. A Guest Unlooked For, but Welcomed

**19 A Guest Unlooked for, but Welcomed**

"Doctor, did you finish the milk?" Rose calls out, her head buried in the refrigerator, moving cartons, jars, bottles, and boxes around. The fridge is far from empty, but there's a lot in it that Rose is completely uninterested in.

"No. We just picked more up when we were in Chicago," She hears filter down the hallway from their room. He's still working on his hair, so it will be at least another 10 minutes before it's affixed with the right amount of deliberate disarray.

Grumbling to herself about idjit Time Lords and their propensity for using all the milk when she hasn't had her tea yet, Rose pulls out green tea for the morning. As soon as he gets his spikey-haired arse out here, she's going to make him take her for milk. Hot tea of any variety will keep her momentarily satisfied, but if she doesn't get her proper morning cuppa, he's going to get it.

Turning back to the kettle with the green tea in hand, Rose sees something else out of place—a small plate on the counter. Normally that wouldn't be significant, except that Darling tends to clean up, and this is one of the new Christmas dishes. The ones she'd manifested that the Doctor hasn't seen yet—the ones that should still be hidden.

Setting the tea down and flipping the kettle on, she reaches for the plate, but her hand falls to the empty counter as the Doctor walks in, whistling.

Startled by the now missing plate, Rose looks quickly around the kitchen, seeing nothing out of the ordinary, she turns back to her tea making, brow furrowed, as the Doctor pulls out breakfast ingredients.

_/Darling, what's going on?/ _Rose asks the TARDIS.

**_~We have a guest, my Wolf, but she is easily frightened and has been hiding.~_**

Accompanying this revelation are images of the other items left scattered around over the past few days that Rose had thought odd.

_/You've been subtly trying to tell us. Why? Why not just come out and say it?/_

**_~She is very skittish, and I have been hoping it would happen naturally, but she is reluctant to be seen. She plans to escape silently the next time we land. I do not think this is best.~_**

/_Why_?/

But Darling has said all that She's going to, only revealing that the Library would be a great place to have their breakfast—proper tea will have to wait.

Okay, the Library it is then. Rose can take a hint. Sighing inwardly, she prepares the scenario.

"Let's eat in the Library today, Doctor. I feel like seeing what Gallifrey's up to," she says, placing a tray at his elbow for him to put out the muffins, bananas, danish, and toast with jam. Planting a quick kiss to his temple at his affirmative hum, she begins gathering the teapot and their cups on another tray, adding an extra cup-just in case.

Following Rose with his tray, the Doctor scans the kitchen and hallways for any other signs of their visitor. He, too, has noticed the marks of habitation left by something more complex than a raven. Not wanting to worry Rose, he hasn't mentioned it, but is keeping a constant vigil in case their guest makes an appearance.

Entering the Library, the windows are brightly lit by the primary star's position in the sky, shafts of dense light piercing the air of the huge room to shine on the shelves and walls opposite. From the corner of his eye, the Doctor notices movement from the second tier as they enter the room, chatting. Whoever's visiting is up there, and they've just been startled by their abrupt appearance. Wondering if Rose has suspected after all, he adopts a nonchalant attitude as he sets up their breakfast on the table nearest the fire.

Sitting down to their tea and toast, the Doctor speaks of nothing important for a few minutes as they both try and decide how to broach the topic of their unlikely guest. Teasing and laughing, they enjoy each other's company, often reaching out to brush a hand along an arm or tuck hair behind ears.

The Doctor is just opening his mouth to finally get to the point when Rose beats him to it.

"Doctor, I think the raven is more than just a bird."

"Oh? What makes you say that?" he asks, attempting to sound like he'd never thought of that.

Swatting him in the shoulder, Rose grins mischievously at him. "You knew! Can't hide from me, you knob. So spill, what's going on?"

Grinning back at her, he answers, "Well, I believe that we have a shape-shifting species on our hands, and it's currently hiding _somewhere_ in the TARDIS."

_-But I believe it's in here with us now,- _he sends Rose telepathically.

_-I know, Darling sent us here,- _Rose replies.

_-Really?- _He isn't sure he likes the idea of the TARDIS talking to Rose about their guest, but not him. He'd wasted time trying not to worry Rose, and here she is…in the know. He's feeling rather stupid at the moment.

**_~Yes, really~_** The accompanying raspberry from his Ship, causes the Doctor's ears to flush in embarrassment. Rose is still focused on her tea, so hopefully she won't notice and hadn't heard the comment.

"Could it be dangerous, Doctor?" Rose asks the same question she would have asked silently.

"Well, there's a possibility, it could be a Zygon or a Krillitane. You remember those, Rose."

_-Coming down the second landing steps. It's small-_

_-I hear it now, Doctor-_

"I do and they weren't very nice. I don't know what Zygons are though."

"Actually, you do, if you remember the images the Moment showed us. The large orange, sucker-covered humanoids are Zygons."

"Doctor, they're enormous!"

"They are and generally difficult to deal with. I've had the mischance a couple of times in the past, but that's not what we have, Rose."

"Okay, so what do we have, if you're so all knowing?" she teases him.

Turning abruptly and pointing, he cries, "We have…a Leiran! Rose, she's a Leiran!"

* * *

Io was deeply engrossed in a book of Oscar Wilde's works and writings inspired by him from the 42nd Century. She'd always enjoyed Oscar's stories. She would have loved to have met him, but being only 18 when he visited America, her father refused to consent to a trip to see his lecture. Never making it to Europe, Io still regrets that particular lost opportunity.

She's just turned a page in the original version of The Portrait of Dorian Grey, when she hears voices enter the Library, and she scrambles back from the edge of the platform where she'd been enjoying a sunbeam.

Wide-eyed and wild to hide, Io silently makes her way to the wall containing the door to her room—to find it missing. Laying her hands flat against the wall in supplication, she silently begs the TARDIS to restore her refuge. Receiving nothing at all from the Ship, Io chooses to interpret that as a, no. She has been hoping to avoid meeting them altogether, but she should have realised that would be impossible in a sentient ship—especially _their_ sentient ship.

Creeping to the edge of the second story platform, Io carefully peeks down at them. Not satisfied with what little she can make out from her perch, she moves to the back of the space and creeps down the stairs, sidling through the shelves until she can just make out the Doctor and Rose's words. Pressing herself against the nearest shelf, she watches them joke and tease each other. Obviously in love, they punctuate their light conversation with small touches and smiles.

She remembers love, and she '_remembers_' feeling this way about a partner, though she herself has yet to indulge that side of her nature. She hasn't personally known the love of another since her father died 130 years ago. A moth to a bright flame, unconsciously Io shifts more and more into the light, drawn to the warmth and regard shared by the couple below her.

Hearing them discuss Zygons and Krillitanes, Io remembers those species with mixed feelings of loathing and distaste as she pulls their known histories from her foremothers' knowledge. She doesn't realise how engrossed she is until only a moment before the Doctor turns to point directly at her. Copper eyes going impossibly wide in fear, she's suddenly rooted to the spot, a deer in headlights. With nowhere to run, she's about to consider her other options when she is encompassed in a wave of reassurance from the TARDIS. Feeling herself relax despite her mind screaming to change and hide, she chooses to step boldly to the edge of the short landing.

"We have…a Leiran! Rose, she's a Leiran," the Doctor cries excitedly, pointing rudely up at her.

Looking up and seeing a lovely, curly-haired child, Rose steps between her excited husband and the poor girl, thinking he's overwhelming her with his earnestness.

"Hello, I'm Rose. This over-enthusiastic fellow is the Doctor," Rose says calmly and slowly, like she would to a frightened child. "Have you lost your family? We can help you find them, your mum and dad must be worried."

"Ummm, Rose?" the Doctor says, trying to get his wife's attention. Rose wouldn't know that a Leiran's eyes change to the copper colour at puberty, or that her energy patterns are much too complex for a child.

Gazing at Rose for a moment as if she's too stupid to have actually mastered speech, Io slides her gaze to the Doctor's.

"So, you're the Time Lords?" she asks, holding up the book the TARDIS had given her.

Not appreciating being disregarded, Rose replies, "Yes, **_we_** are. Where did you find that?" The book doesn't look familiar, and Rose is pretty sure she and the Doctor are on the cover.

"I found it on the floor amongst the shelves. I think your ship made it for me," Io answers, holding her temper in check. The girl, Rose, Io reminds herself, is only recently a Time Lord; of course Rose wouldn't recognise that she's definitely not young.

"Ahh, so you know of Time Lords and TARDIS, then?" the Doctor asks.

"Oh, yes, but they kept to themselves. We rarely saw them."

"Would you like to join us for tea and breakfast?" Rose asks, returning to her seat. She hopes that resuming more relaxed positions will coax her down to them, and maybe entice her to be less rude. They can still feel her fright shining at the edge of her thoughts, and Rose feels like she's missing something.

Taking a deep breath, Io decides to be polite. She hasn't had a great deal of interaction that would be considered normal among the Humans. Only venturing out at night, when her eyes are less noticeable, doesn't always lead one to the best places or meeting the best people when one is on the run constantly.

"I would, thank you," she replies to Rose, stepping daintily down the stairs and sitting in the chair across from them at their little table. "I am Io Leira MacDonald." Glad now of the extra cup, Rose pours for her. Io takes a small sip, appreciating the warmth and delicate flavours of the green tea, and smile her thanks to them.

"Io, a moon of Jupiter and a priestess of Hera who got a little busy with Zeus," the Doctor expounds, enjoying the moment to show off a bit. "You flew into our ship rather unexpectedly. I assume you weren't out doing a little joy-flying. I know it takes a lot of energy to shift forms." The Doctor leans back to observe their guest. A Leiran! He hasn't seen one in ages.

"Actually, I was being chased; or more accurately, hunted," she replies succinctly with a grimace.

"Oh? By whom? Are there more of you on Earth?" he asks, sitting up in alarm at her words. If it's Torchwood, Jack will not enjoy the visit!

Io can't help the tears that immediately appear in her large expressive eyes. "I don't know. I've assumed I was the only one for so long. I've never seen another of my kind, and I'll have to reproduce soon; my life cycle is coming to an end."

The emotional reaction to the Doctor's second question completely captures Rose's attention as she leans forward in her chair. Her immediate compassion toward any being in need is one of the Doctor's favourite traits. He continues thinking about who would be hunting a Leiran in one part of his mind while focusing again on Rose and Io.

"How old are you?" Rose asks, the sympathy clear on her face.

"I'm 150 Earth years old," she replies. A small smile plays around her lips as she observes Rose's reaction to the news.

"I am so sorry. I mistook you for a child by your size and looks. And here I was being the rude one, please forgive me," Rose entreats her sincerely.

"No worries. We're good. I use the ruse often when I need to hide. Human adults love to protect kids, so it works out," Io replies, a genuine smile lighting her features for the first time, seemingly as mercurial in mood as the Doctor.

"Why would you need to hide as a child though, Io? Just appear as a human adult and you'd be fine." The confusion on the Doctor's face is very clear to Io and Rose. This new puzzle piece completely derails him from the 'being hunted' train of thought.

"I can't, Doctor. I'm not fully Leiran; my father was a Human," she says, placing her cup down and looking back up at them. Seeing nothing but concern and curiosity on their features, she decides to go for broke. Maybe these two will help her find her people. They're Time Lords; they can go anywhere. Hopefully her kind and her planet still exist.

Deciding to give them her history makes her feel lighter than she has in years. She hasn't been able to share with anyone, and the last sympathetic ear passed with her father. Adjusting her position in the chair, she thinks over the circumstances behind her people being marooned on the only planet she's ever called home.

* * *

**A/N: Thank you so much for liking my new character. I dreamed up Io and her story a few months ago. It's nice being able to realise it now and flesh her out. I tinkered with this chapter after my lovely Beta, Ash, was finished with it. Any mistakes are entirely mine. :-) Monday's Chapter: Long Distance Voyager. Thank you for reading and reviewing!**


	20. Long Distance Voyager

**20 Long Distance Voyager**

"Okay, so how about I tell how we came to be on Earth for the past 3000 years. That should answer some of your questions," Io states, deciding to start at the very beginning.

Nodding, they settle in, gratified that she's willing to share. The TARDIS kindly provides more toast and tea.

Taking a moment to enjoy a bite of toast and freshen up her tea, Io begins, "Our ship was the Tel'marc. We were on our way to Mars for trade negotiations with the Ice Warriors on behalf of the Shadow Proclamation. On our journey, we had a smaller side mission to catalogue inhabited worlds. Knowing the fourth planet of this system was settled, we took a low orbit around the third for a day, to see what the Humans were up to. Since the majority were still fairly primitive, and what few non-terrestrial inhabitants we could detect weren't messing around, we left them alone to observe the Humans.

"In the 16th hour of our mission, our ship was winged by an incoming asteroid that we'd failed to detect. Crushing our primary coolant flange, we had no choice but to push through the atmosphere and try to make a safe landing. Unfortunately, the asteroid did more damage than we realised. It had also taken out our communications array, and our dorsal stabiliser."

"Oh, no! You were out of control. I am so, so sorry. The landing must have been costly. Obviously some of you survived," the Doctor observes sympathetically.

Tensing in her seat at the Doctor's reminder, Io has to actively stop herself from accessing the fuller memory-the flashing lights, claxons, crashing supports...and the screams. Rill'Tevin, her many times removed Great-Grandmother had survived the crash, but her sister was skewered right beside her by a super-heated rod from the collapsing fuel chamber. Io did _not_ want to relive any of that this time. She had shed many a tear in her earlier exploration of it all; when she was younger and access to the memories was new. Now, she has much better control.

"Some of us did, fifteen to be exact. We crashed into the Aegean. Greece was at the height of its power. They viewed us as fallen demigods—proof of their Olympus. And whatever we had done to anger the gods and goddesses they would forgive us, if only we bestowed our gifts on them. It's why we always take a Greek name, to help identify ourselves to others of our kind—sort of a tradition.

"The gifts _they_ thought we had were utterly ridiculous, but we could mate with them-our children, our most precious gift. Unfortunately, there were…complications. It took us several generations to figure them all out. Doctor, you've heard of Leirans before, but I can tell Rose hasn't."

At their nods, she continues, "Well, Leirans are shape-shifters. We can take any shape we want for a time. As the Doctor pointed out, it takes a lot of energy. Less if you're only shifting appearance or into something of a similar mass. Much smaller or larger and the time possible to remain in the shape is also proportionate; the more drastic, the less time and the more energy it takes."

Seeing Rose's confusion, the Doctor moves to explain, "Leirans partially exist multi-dimensionally. That is to say, they can tap into the potential between dimensions to hide their own extra mass when they take forms smaller than themselves, or conversely they can borrow mass to become larger. It's a little like the TARDIS, but they're unaware of the mass that is outside themselves."

"That's it exactly, Doctor! I know it to be true, but I didn't have the words to explain it, thank you," she says with a bright grin. Not being a scientist, she'd never cared about how, only that she could.

"Blimey, that's…so interesting," Rose says. She almost said weird—she'll want to look more into such an intriguing concept later.

"The problem was, we _could_ mate with the Humans, and we knew we would have to if we wanted to survive long enough to be rescued. There weren't enough of us to keep breeding with ourselves, but Leiran always breed true. A male Leiran and a Human female will only produce male Leirans. The opposite is true for female Leirans. The trouble is, half-human babies are too large for us to carry so we always die in childbirth, leaving our husbands to raise our daughters."

Rose covers her mouth in surprised horror, tears suddenly glistening in her wide eyes.

"Female Leirans also have genetic memories. We females are lucky to be fertile and youthful in appearance our entire lives, so we wait until we reach what would be a normal adult span for a Human before finding a mate. That way we can spend a decade or so with the,, making sure they'll not abandon our daughters when we die. We do explain to our mates the truth of what we are when we've determined their faith in us. It's the only way to insure our children won't be harmed once they reach puberty."

"What happens at puberty?" the Doctor asks, his mind whirling at all the new information.

"We're born looking perfectly Human, as half-breeds; but at puberty our eyes change, and our physiology goes through the shift to Leiran. The irony is that the humanity that remains keeps us from actually being able to live easily among them. Only half-Leiran, we cannot take the shape of other sentient creatures. It's a limitation I have no explanation for, but I can tell you from personal experience that it's painful and exhausting to attempt. I tried really hard to be a dolphin once, when I was younger, and just couldn't manage it. Now, I understand why, of course," Io replies with a wry grin.

"That's how you know your own history so well, you were born with the knowledge," Rose ponders aloud, thinking how that would feel to grow up knowing it all. It reminds her of waking in the Zero room with a head full of Time Lord knowledge.

"Well, yes, but our foremothers' knowledge is part of what comes with puberty. It would be grossly unfair to burden a child with so much history. I remember everything that has happened to my ken and my people for the many millennia since we evolved the ability. It inhabits a portion of the mind that is voluntarily conscious, though, so it does not overwhelm my current experience."

"But you're missing the racial memory of your home Leirans for the past 3000 years, am I right?" the Doctor asks. At her nod, he continues, "So, you have what you learned from your mother and through her line, but you haven't encountered any other females, that's why you think you're alone. Is it passed physically?" Deeply intrigued by the biological research potentials, he doesn't realise his question could appear rude.

At a nudge from Rose, the Doctor snaps out of his thoughts. Seeing the 'you're being rude' face on his wife makes him rewind the past couple of minutes. Blushing adorably at the insensitive and probing nature of his questioning, he apologises, "Io, I'm sorry. I was so caught up in how fascinating your species is that I was rude. Rude and not ginger; that's me!" He brightens the room with his winning smile hoping he hasn't made her mad.

"Geez, relax you two. I've spent the past 150 years living in Chicago, Illinois. Trust me, I know rude and that wasn't it," she replies with a grin. "I don't mind telling you, no reason not to, that I can see. It's passed through antibodies in our saliva. I hope sharing my information and story will help pay for passage to my home world, assuming you know where it is, and don't mind taking me."

"I do know! Not that you would ever have to pay for passage. Blimey, we're not a cruise ship. You need help, and that's what we do…help," he replies happily. "Would you like the TARDIS to scan for more of your people before we leave, though? Might as well rescue all of you if you aren't the last. I understand last, believe me. Let's see who else we can find, shall we?"

Leaping to his feet, he spares a quick kiss for Rose but is out of the library excitedly heading for the Console room before Io can completely process the offer.

"Do you really think he can find more of my people?" she asks Rose hesitantly, fiddling with her teacup nervously. It's been so long since she felt real hope about her future. She's lived a long and resigned life with only her sense of obligation keeping her going. This fresh opportunity is like a whole new page in the book of her life. One shining, clean and empty, just waiting for her to fill it.

"If there are more to find, the TARDIS will do it. She's brilliant. He'll be calling for us in a moment since he forgot to…"

"Roooose? Could you and Io come to the Console Room? I need a DNA sample for the TARDIS to lock onto," he calls out right on time.

Laughing, both women move out of the Library and head toward the Doctor, excited to see where this leads them.

* * *

Flicking his sonic over Io, the Doctor plugs it into a slot on the Console so the TARDIS can extrapolate the readings. It only takes a moment before the monitor is alive with symbols, scrolling numbers, and then abruptly a map.

As Io, Rose, and the Doctor lean in, the TARDIS shows them a cluster of yellow dots all in one location—the middle of nowhere Nebraska.

Leaning back, the Doctor fingers his earlobe a moment thoughtfully. "You said you were being hunted," he says quietly, his expression dark.

Io looks frightened and nods, but is unsure what he wants to know.

"What are we looking at, Doctor?" Rose asks. She moves to put a comforting hand on Io's shoulder rather than read the monitor herself.

"The yellow dots are all the Leirans on the planet…five, Rose. Three thousand years and there are five Leirans left. And they're all right there," he says, pointing at the monitor. "Well, except for Io, here." Staring at the monitor intently for a few moments, the Doctor considers the options.

"Alright, Io, this isn't right, and we're going to fix it; but I need you tell me what or who exactly you were running from and why." The eyes he turns to her are deep, timeless, and filled with an ancient sadness, but also a flickering anger that sends a shiver down her spine.

Nodding, she spreads her hands and gives them a little shrug as she begins, "Doctor, I've been running my entire life. Humans are scared of what they don't understand, and a four and a half foot tall girl with a short blonde afro and huge red-brown eyes strikes them as scary." Giving another shrug, to mask how much she hurts, she glances around the ship a second looking for more words.

"I've been completely alone since my dad died in 1884, other than pets," she grins. "Dogs and cats don't care that you look weird.

"Anyway, as the years advanced, it became less of an issue. At least I could move around more or less unmolested at night. And recently, the Humans have started wearing crazy-coloured contact lenses, so that's allowed me to move through the city more during the daylight, but if I get scared, I change. I can do it voluntarily, but it's also instinctual, and I've been noticed a few times.

"The most consistent pursuit was what your ship saved me from the other day. I've run into them once before, 30 years ago, and it took days to shake them. I have no idea how they tracked me this time, even when I shifted shapes."

At an insistent ding from the console, they turn back to see the monitor alive with Gallifreyan symbols and pictures of something that looks like a beetle.

"Well, that answers that. They dusted you with nanobots." At Io's terrified expression, the Doctor waves his hand around dismissively. "Oh the TARDIS nullified them as soon as you entered her energy field, but I can tell you they are of Earth origin, but definitely not from this time. Do you know who these more determined pursuers are?"

"Not a clue," Io replies. "They drive grey SUVs, but I've only had one up close and personal look at them. They caught me once the last time, and held me in a cell before I slipped their restraints. They didn't realise how small I could get, but it told them all they wanted to know when I moused it out of there. He was maybe 30, tall, grey eyes the colour of dirty snow, and mean! They were all wearing grey uniforms that had some sort of Eagle and sun rays patch on their shoulders."

"Really?" the Doctor asks, his eyebrows high. Fiddling with the monitor a moment, he brings up a picture. At Io's gasp, he knows that he's correct.

"The Sentinels of the New Dawn—nasty lot, they are; but I had no idea they had an American branch. I had a run in with them, as my Third self, ohhhhh...in just a couple of months! Ha, time travel!" he says with a grin at Rose. "Liz and I are pulled into 2014 and have to deal with them. The usual megalomaniacs bent on world domination, I know we get most of them, though there were those clones... Well, they might stay active afterwards, but we take care of the Time Dilation device. That would explain the advanced nano-technology. This group must have received it before they split off or were sent here," he muses as he begins moving rapidly around the Console before stopping abruptly to stare at Rose.

"What?" she asks, brows furrowed.

"I'm about to take us to Nebraska," he says not looking at her, but twisting a knob like his life depends on it.

"Yes…you are. People to save, bad guys to defeat," Rose says, still not understanding what the Doctor's getting at. Abruptly sensing a peek of worry through their link, she crosses her arms and leans obstinately against a strut. "_And_, Doctor?"

Glancing once at his wife, he scrapes his hands through his hair, tugging painfully. He knows she isn't going to stay behind. He knows she won't _try_ to stay safe. Sometimes it drives him mad, that she refuses to see how frightened he is of losing her and the baby.

_-Are we going to do this again?-_

_-Rose, I…-_

_-Doctor. Are we going to go over this again?-_

_-Rose! Please, understand…-_

Unfortunately, the timing of this request doesn't work to his benefit. Being almost 5 months pregnant with a highly advanced infant and having all new physiology doesn't always work out so well when all that superiority gets angry. Rose's hormones have already kicked into high gear, making her feel very protective of Io. So, the Doctor's usual attempt to convince her stay behind and be safe is a grenade in the powder magazine.

Rose had thought they'd dealt with this on the Ood Sphere, and that it was settled, but apparently not. A very tiny part of her, hovering somewhere off her left shoulder keeps trying to explain that he cares, that he loves her, and he only wants what's best…please don't get mad—too late.

A usually hidden nasty streak, made worse by the situation and the chemicals raging through her system, raises its ugly head.

Creating the worst possible scenarios that she can think of, she sends the Doctor pictures of himself, captured, tortured, bloody, and dying…shot outright, blown up, smashed by debris—if it can kill him, she sends him an image of it happening. Then she caps her painful and horrifying freak show with images of her, minding her own business in the TARDIS doing things she would never do, like knitting by fire light, making paper chains, and any other innocuous tasks she can think of, but she punctuates them all with her dying terribly alone in a burst of sympathetic energy release, and the TARDIS falling to her own death at the abrupt cessation of her bonded companions.

The Doctor is white knuckled and deathly pale, clutching the console like he may lose his breakfast on it at the intensity of the onslaught. Rose turns on her heel and marches into the interior of the ship without a look at either of the people she's leaving behind.

Poor Io is staring back and forth between her hosts. She can sense something going on with them, but her race isn't telepathic, and for once she's thankful. Her people have plenty of experience with telepathic races though, and she recognises the signs that an intense and very silent communication just occurred.

"Umm, you okay, Doctor?" she asks hesitantly, not wanting to make anything worse. She was willing to trust these people an hour ago; now she's a little worried at that decision.

Sweating and maybe not as steady as he would prefer, the Doctor shuffles to the jump seat and slumps down onto it. Looking up at Io with a pained smile, he nods.

"Ya, I just did something stupid, and my wife reminded me that she isn't a kitten to be wrapped in cotton wool," he says tiredly, running his hands over his face and resting his elbows on his knees, to support his aching head.

"Ahh, you tried to get her stay to behind because she's pregnant; that _was_ stupid," Io agrees presciently, smirking at him.

Tipping his head up to look at her, the Doctor gets a bit of a wistful glint in his eye, but smiles at her, when he nods his agreement. "Yup, I guess so." She's reminding him a lot of Ace in this moment—so perceptive.

"She's probably huddled in your room, crying her eyes out right now. You should go tell her you were stupid and say nice, safe, loving things to her. She might even forgive you," Io tells him, placing her little hands to her hips.

"Really? I was thinking I'd be the last person she wants to see at the moment," he replies dubiously.

"Seriously? You know she was human once, right?"

"I do, yes, but how do you know that?"

"The book the TARDIS made me is sort of a fairytale about you two, and She thinks that's the most romantic part—when the Sphynx makes her a Time Lord to save you from spending eternity alone. Personally, I found it a bit trite and thought She'd made it up, but I can smell the humanity on Rose, spicing the scent of time and pregnancy."

The Doctor gazes at Io like she's the most amazing thing he's ever seen. Suddenly feeling embarrassed, she ducks her head and shuffles her feet a bit, uncomfortable with his regard.

"Spending time as animals has some perks, you know," she explains, thinking that's why he's looking at her so intensely.

"Of course it does…sorry…I was staring. I'd like to see this book some time. You just pointed out why I've been such an unmitigated prat and you've only known us a couple of hours. I sometimes forget that Rose is still essentially human." Shaking his head ruefully, he stares at his hands while he's thinking.

"Sure, but don't make the mistake of thinking that that makes her stupid. She isn't. She knows she's carrying a baby. She isn't _trying_ to put herself in harm's way, just to be obtuse. She _knows_ you're better as a team. And I'm guessing that you're not used to thinking that way. Am I right?" Io asks, smirking.

Sighing, he runs his hands through his hair, mussing it to new heights. "Right, I'll go talk to her." Getting to his feet, the Doctor moves toward the hallway. Stopping, his hand on the rail, he turns to look at Io with a small lopsided smile. "Thanks, Io. The TARDIS will have moved your room to the hall now that we've met properly." Pausing a moment to give her a raised eyebrow and a more normal smirk, he continues, "And you can quit sneaking around the Kitchen. If you're hungry, tuck in." With a little wave, he continues down the hall toward his room.

Io watches him go, silently wishing him luck, and wondering where her room might be now. It will be fun exploring the TARDIS without having to dodge its inhabitants.

A little green light flicks into existence in the floor and races down the other hallway. With a grin and feeling a bit like one of her cats, Io chases after it, assuming it will lead her back to her room's new position.

* * *

**A/N: Happy Monday! :-) I hope you enjoyed learning a bit more about Io and her people. Someday, maybe, the Doctor won't stick his foot in his mouth. The next chapter is the fluffy apology, and then bold steps toward action. Wednesday's chapter: Talking Out of Turn. **

**Many thanks to my beta Ashlanielle. I did fiddle with this chapter after her hard work, so any extra commas are all me. :-) Thank you to the new reviewers MommaFaraday and UndeadOctopus! **

**In reply to De Bre Layn, thank you for enjoying the story, and if you hit the follow box at the end of the chapter when you're signed in, it will automatically send you update emails. I love that feature! :-D Thanks!**


	21. Talking Out of Turn

**21 Talking Out of Turn**

Lost in his thoughts, the Doctor walks along the hallway to their room. He's made several laps around the table in the kitchen before he realises how distracted he truly is. Smiling a bit wanly, he pushes affection toward his ship for leading him here. An apology cuppa is always a good plan—plus, Rose may be less likely to smack him if he's holding two cups of hot tea.

Humming tunelessly to himself, the Doctor goes through the familiar little ritual of making his wife tea. Thinking on the domesticity of his actions, another more genuine little smile flirts around the edges of his mouth. In his head he can hear his own past Northern-accented voice grumbling about how docile he's become, which is at odds with how contented he actually feels. Well, except for the fact that he's neck deep in an argument with the target of his domestic attentions.

Reaching into the refrigerator, the Doctor pulls out a brand new carton of milk to add to the tea. He's halfway to returning it, when he realises what he has in his hands. Gazing at the carton, he reaches for the TARDIS with his mind.

_/I thought we were out of milk. Wasn't Rose looking… Oh, you clever girl!/_

The TARDIS hums at him distractedly, but refuses to acknowledge him further. Smirking at his magnificent and very meddling ship, he finishes his business with the tea, picking up the cups and continuing to their room.

Making it this time, the Doctor nudges the door open with his hip, looking around the space for Rose. Quietly, he walks around the small suite of rooms that has emerged through the time he and Rose have been reunited. Not merely a bedroom any longer, there's also a sitting room, another small and very private library, his study, and her workroom. Finding all of them empty, he ends up back in their bedroom, wearing a slightly confused expression and two still steaming cups of tea in hand.

That's when he notices the lump in the bed and the tuft of blonde hair poking above the covers. An understanding, though slightly sad smile touches his lips. Making his way to his side of the bed, the Doctor sets the cups down and pulls the covers aside to join Rose.

He isn't at all tired, having slept just last night, but then, _he_ isn't pregnant. The amusing and vaguely ridiculous line of thought that follows is interrupted by Rose rolling over in her sleep, a worried expression creasing her brow. Wrapping himself around his unresisting wife, the Doctor pulls Rose into his arms and rests his chin against the crown of her head. Rose relaxes against him, snuggling close. _Well, at least she isn't cross with me in her sleep,_ he thinks, smiling against her hair.

Thinking over the nearly two years that have passed, the Doctor reminds himself of all they've come through together. It's been a whirlwind for him; but for Rose, the struggles, adventures, and sheer level of metamorphosis has been extraordinary. He needs to remember to be more patient with her. Pondering his wife, the Doctor holds her close to himself, feeling her dream, but lost to his own musings.

* * *

_"Here, sweetheart, I made you a proper fry-up. Look at you. How you ever do all that runnin' 's beyond me, skinny you are. Doesn't Himself ever feed you?"_

_Blinking her eyes open, Rose finds herself looking at the ceiling of her old bedroom at the Estate. Wow, was it really _**_that_**_ pink? Turning her head against her pillow, she observes her mum laying out a tray next to the bed heaped with food, all steaming and gorgeous. Her eyes cause her belly to growl; the smell though, makes her a little nauseous._

_"Mum?"_

_"Well, who else, the Queen? Might be friends with Harriet Jones, you are, but it's jus' your 'ol mum today," the figure replies with her own brusque good humour, looking at her daughter with deep eyes. Eyes filled with too much understanding and a sadness that twinges at Rose's heart—no…hearts!_

_"Mum! I…this must be a dream," Rose says, sitting up quickly in bed, the covers falling to her lap as the room swims in a moment of vertigo. Clutching at the pillows around her, Rose waits for the room to settle. "I'm dreaming. Mum…why…why am I crying?" Rose asks puzzled, putting a hand to her cheek where she'd felt the tears gathering. Looking at the fresh moisture on her fingers, she presses the other hand between her breasts, feeling both hearts beating strongly. Looking back up at her mum in confusion, Rose can see tears gathered in her eyes as well._

_"Oh, Rose, sweetheart. He told me everything. The Doctor, he…"_

* * *

"Rose. Rose, wake up. You're dreaming, luv."

Starting awake, Rose finds herself in the Doctor's lap—her head against his chest, fists clinched in his shirt, silent tears staining the fabric.

"Doctor? Why am I crying?" Rose asks again, disoriented as the dream begins to fade.

"You said that in your sleep, Rose. I've no idea, but I started trying to wake you since it didn't seem like a very pleasant dream," the Doctor replies, worry etching his brow.

"My mum was there. She'd made me breakfast. She looked…so sad, or…something. She said you told her." Rose passes a hand across her forehead, pulling hair out of her eyes, and sits up in the Doctor's lap, a hand still pressed to his chest between his own hearts.

"What did I tell her?"

"I don't know. I think she said 'everything,' whatever that means. It's fading already. God, my room was soooo pink. The food looked great, but the smell made me feel sick; I remember that. Oh, and I was me." The wide-eyed expression on her face has the Doctor confused now.

"Ummm…and who else would you be in your own dream, Rose?"

"No, I mean this me, the new me, Time Lady me. I had two hearts in the dream. I felt them," Rose answers, trying to remember more. But either way, she'd never had two hearts around her mum; she would have flipped!

"That might have been me. You started to move around like you weren't happy so I shifted us about. You probably heard my hearts in your dream."

"Yeah…maybe…yeah, you're probably right. I was so sad, Doctor," Rose says distantly, almost too softly for him to hear.

"I know, Rose. I'm so, so sorry that you had to leave them behind. I know you miss them," he says, pulling her close in a hug.

Hugging him back and hearing the reassuring sounds of his hearts pushes the dream even further away. Now, the memories from before she decided to take a little kip all coming flooding back.

Feeling her stiffen in his arms, the Doctor, too, knows that the argument has caught back up with them. "Rose, I…"

"No, Doctor, let me. I'm the one who needs to apologise; I'm sorry. It was wrong of me to blast you like that with all those horrible images. I got so mad, so fast. I felt like I wasn't in control anymore, and I could hear myself telling me to shut up, but I couldn't…I just couldn't." The words tumble from Rose, tripping over themselves to get out of her coherently.

"Doctor, do you have any idea what it would do to me, in my own last seconds, to know that you'd died alone? I'm so afraid, all the time. There's so much going on, so fast; Dougie leaving, me pregnant…Whatever crazy song ending crap that was with the Ood… _-sob- _ God, the baby! He could maybe live without us after he's born, but not yet. _-sob- _Doctor, I'm lost. All I have is you and the TARDIS. _-sob-_ Please…. _-sob- …Please_ don't leave me alone again!"

The pleading and uncontrollable tears completely break the Doctor's hearts. Rose is always so strong—the one who holds them all together. She's radiating nearly overwhelming terror, and it's his fault for not realising how fragile she'd been feeling. Once this business with Io is fixed, he'll find them a leisure planet to spend a couple of weeks on with Donna and Jack. Maybe he should find them somewhere to stay for the rest of Rose's term—Earth would be the obvious choice…maybe. Shifting those thoughts to the 'work on later' part of his mind, the Doctor focuses on Rose's need in the moment.

Wrapping himself around her physically and coiling their energies together, the Doctor rocks her in his arms, whispering to her in Gallifreyan anything that comes to mind, but mostly reassuring her that they'll be fine. Reassurances of every kind, anything to bring her back to herself. Soon, the worst of the emotional storm has passed. Rose lays quiet against him and his thoroughly soaked shirt; small hiccups every now and then all that remain of the outburst.

Sliding them to the edge of the bed, the Doctor sends a thought and a request to the TARDIS. Receiving an affirmative, he repositions Rose and gets to his feet, lifting her effortlessly.

Carrying his wife into the en suite, he walks them directly into the rapidly filling bath tub, clothes and all. A hot soak is exactly what they need.

Rose protests weakly that they're still dressed. The Doctor just grins at her as he sets her gently on the edge of the tub and gently undresses her, dropping her tank and shorts to the floor. Seeing her naked, pregnant, and glowing slightly in the steam, sends a spasm of desire spiking through him. Blushing at his response, he straightens and begins undressing himself, turning away slightly so Rose won't see his face, and hopefully won't notice the hormone release. His jumped up sexual responses are the last thing she needs at the moment. This bath is for her, not his randy self.

Instead of sliding into the water as he thought she would, Rose stands, placing her hands over his, stilling them in their attempts to loosen his tie. Turning him toward her, Rose places a small hand under his chin silently asking him to look at her. Blushing again, he opens his eyes and nearly falls down at the depth of emotion in hers. Need, love, fear, desire …all there, shining and vulnerable. And now he perceives the release of her own hormones—the same ones that had momentarily embarrassed him earlier. With four busy hands, it takes very little time to litter the room with the remaining articles of clothing.

The beginning of their lovemaking is silent, punctuated only by breathing and small groans or sighs, but it doesn't take long before their usual joking good humour takes over. The warm, wet air filled with laughter and satisfied shouts of cathartic release.

An hour or so later, the floor is well and truly wet, the bath nearly emptied and then refilled. The two lazy Time Lords are currently draped over one another enjoying the hot water, now slightly lavender scented. The Doctor is making fantastic sculptures in the water with Rose's hair—or he's trying to anyway.

Smiling at his child-like delight in something so simple, Rose is struck once again by how mean she'd been to him earlier. "Doctor, I…"

"No, Rose, no more apologising. Someone's always going on that I should stop blaming myself for everything. It's good advice; you should heed it, too." The twinkle in the eye that he flashes at her before returning to his underwater antics belies the mock seriousness of his tone.

"Cheeky!" Rose exclaims, flicking some water at him with her fingers where she's idly stroking her hands through the hair along one of his legs.

Not able to entirely shake the melancholy, Rose continues musing, "Sometimes I feel so overwhelmed. Like I'm responsible for every living thing and they don't know or care that I feel that way."

Looking up from his game, he allows himself to see that Rose's normally sparkling gold energy is darker, made sluggish by the depressing direction of her thoughts. Wondering if he should add some more B vitamins to her daily, the Doctor responds to her musings.

"I know exactly what you mean, but…," sighing, he begins again, "Oh, Rose, you're _so_ human, even after everything that you've been through. You're amazing." He underscores his words with his own feelings of regard and wonder for her, hoping it will help to pull her from this mood.

"Am I, really…so human?" The sad, lost look on her face worries the Doctor, who pulls her close again, desperate for her to not feel so alone.

"Yes! And don't ever feel like that's a bad thing Rose Tyler, even after everything that's happened. Your compassionate humanity is what makes you so…well, so human. You see the entire Universe through that filter, and that makes it a much better place. Humans try so hard to figure everything out, how it all works. They just _need_ to know, _need_ to understand, and that's you, Rose. You see the best in people, no matter their kind, and you want to understand them. Rose, you are…"

At this moment, their son awakens and reaches out with his own energy looking for his mother. Sensing his father near also delights the littlest Time Lord. Shooting out little thought spikes of awareness, tinged with a little worry for his mum and happiness at everything around him, his parent's minds buzz with his happy mental babble.

Feeling the innocent depth of their son's love and joy finally breaks the depressing bubble that was weighing on Rose. A sun bursting through clouds after the hurricane has passed, her energy immediately lightens, and her smile brightens the room. The Doctor's sense of relief and mirrored happiness has them laughing delightedly as they play with their unborn child, mentally hugging and reassuring him that it's a good day, and all is well.

* * *

During their bath, the Doctor was struck by an idea. He's no clue why he hadn't thought of it before, but for whatever reason, now is the perfect time. Once they're dressed, he grabs Rose's hand. Leaning in to whisper in her ear, she giggles at him, and shrieks delightedly as he pulls her out of their room and heads down the hall.

"Run? Easy for you to say. You're not attached to a beach ball that weighs a few kilos," she says, laughing their way down the hall to the Console room and beyond to the Infirmary.

Groaning, she pulls him to a stop as they enter the room. "Doctorrrrr…what now?"

"Oh, no, Rose! This is going to be great. You're going to love it. Can't believe we didn't do this before. Just stand here," he says, positioning her on a disk mounted in the floor that she'd never noticed before. Moving to a set of controls on the wall, he begins fiddling with them as he explains what's going to happen. "It will turn you around once, but just stand there; you don't have to be perfectly still or anything. There'll be a bit of blue light…."

"Oi! It tickles! Doctor, what are you…"

"Just…a…second, annnnnnd, voila!"

A few meters in front of them a shaft of blue-tinged radiance bursts into existence as the lights in the Infirmary dim. Suspended in its centre…is their baby in 3D black and white perfection, slowly rotating. He's playing with his fingers, flexing them, and sticking them in his mouth. Rose stands in a daze, mouth slightly open, and gawking in wonder at the apparition before her. Unconsciously moving forward, the image wavers crazily.

"Stay on the disk! Sorry, Rose, but for the image to be real-time you have to stay there," the Doctor says, looking to his wife and seeing her nod distractedly before his own eyes are pulled back to the image of their son.

"Doctor, is it like an ultrasound?" Rose asks, awed.

"Welllll, yes…no, not at all really, but I guess considering what you've experienced…yes, if it makes you feel better," he says, still focused in the revolving image.

Picking up the first thing she can reach, Rose flings a bar of soap at him, winging it off his shoulder.

"Oi! What was…" Seeing the look on his wife's face, he realises what he'd said. "Oh, that was a bit rude, sorry. It doesn't use sound waves at all. It's actually reading the location of all your atoms through the use of quantum streams, but it takes a lot of energy; and for the time signature of your atoms and this image to align, you have to stay on the emitter."

"Doctor, that's our son," Rose says in quiet awe.

"Yes, yes it is," he replies proudly. "He's not really that big yet. The translation matrix scales the image to the maximum allowed by the size of the beam emitter."

"Shut up, Doctor," Rose says quietly, fixated on the image of their son.

Grinning in delight at the success of his surprise, the Doctor turns to focus his attention on their child, as well.

The boy in question stretches his legs as best he can, and Rose lets out a little squeak, moving her hands to her belly as she feels what she can see happening in front of her. Reaching out a blind hand to him, she beckons the Doctor to her side. Taking his hand, she places it on her belly as they watch the movement they now both feel. Struck by the moment's poignancy, the Doctor is at a complete loss for words. Reaching for his wife and son with his mind, he wraps them both in his love for them. A contented little smile blossoms on their son's face, and he snuggles in, yawning, and promptly falls asleep.

"Have you thought about any names?" Rose asks quietly, watching the sleeping baby, her hands still on her belly.

"Uh…no, I haven't…should we? There's still another 6 months to go. I guess I never thought about it. Never thought I would ever think about it again, really. Baby names, blimey!" Glancing over at her husband's profile and grinning, Rose can see his eyes never leave their son, but his eyebrows are high as he's affected by the thought of naming their child.

"Gallifreyans were kind of weird with the way they named things, Rose."

"Oh, I know, ridiculous, you lot are. I have no idea why you were called Theta, all the references I find are mathematical or odd. I assumed your mum was having a joke on your father liking the Greek myths. And the name you were given at the Schism is filled with overlapping and contradictory symbology…and then there's Lungbarrow." The Doctor can hear her roll her eyes at his House's name. That's fine, he'd never liked it either. "I was hoping you wouldn't mind something more… Well, more…"

"More human?" The Doctor supplies with a grin, turning to look her in the eyes. "Not at all, Rose Tyler. You may name our son anything you wish. Oh! How about Alonso? Allons-y Alonso! I've always wanted to say that. Well, by always, I mean from now on…always. What do you think, Rose—Alonso Tyler?"

"Errrmm, well, I was actually thinking of the names we might like together, so I've a short list, and we can pick two or three, but no; not Alonso."

"Ohhhh, alright, so what were you thinking?" His obvious disappointment is adorable, but gone in a second as his curiosity reasserts itself

"My list is Peter and Michael or Mickey, of course. Maybe Jack, but he doesn't need a fatter head." Those were the easy ones, names from _her_ past that she'd obviously pick. The next two, Rose wasn't sure how he'd react to them. "And also, Jamie and Alistair."

The look of profound surprise at her choices does nothing to immediately reassure her, but the wave of delight and affection that caresses her mind alleviates any worry.

"Rose, I…I don't know what to say…."

"Wow! That is so cool!" they hear from across the room. Startled, they turn to see Io standing just within the doorway of the Infirmary.

"Sorry, I heard your voices, so I came to see what's up. That's your baby, he's beautiful! Is that a quantum imager, Doctor? This is off the charts, great ship by the way. She led me all over the place. Awesome, pool room; boy, this place is huge. I had no idea that dimensional transcendentalism meant She also had the possibility of infinite spaces. Are they laid out in spherical layers or as separate bubbles all riding the central core?"

Finally looking at her hosts, Io finds them regarding her like she's grown stalks for eyes—she almost checks. Blushing in embarrassment, she realises that she'd been blithering on without hardly stopping for breath, let alone allowing anyone to get a word in edgewise.

"Sorry, I just got excited. I'm out of practise with the whole company thing," she apologises, ducking her head and shuffling her feet.

Bursting into laughter, Rose clutches her sides and wipes tears from her eyes. "Oh, Io, you have nothing to apologise for," Rose tells her.

The Doctor steps back from Rose with a smile, and begins switching the equipment off, bringing the lights back up.

"It's just not often that someone else can fill so little space with so many words!" Rose says, eyes twinkling.

"Oi! I can hear you two," the Doctor retorts, but without heat. He'd found Io's stream of conscious queries and statements perfectly understandable. He probably won't mention that, though, as it would just illustrate Rose's point. Grinning, he turns back to Io to answer a couple of the previously voiced questions.

"It is, in fact, a quantum imager. Would you like to see more of it? This one is several generations ahead of the last ones you would have seen. And the TARDIS creates Her spaces as layered spheres that also can contain bubbles of additional spaces. I assume, this is racial memory, as opposed to applied knowledge?" he asks, looking particularly professorial.

"Oh, ya. While my education is unusually thorough for a 19th Century Human girl, it doesn't include quantum physics or the quirks of dimensional transference. Though my own species, as you mentioned earlier, uses the multiple small bubble method to store our excess energy or to acquire more. But, that's as far as my personal knowledge extends. I am not an engineer. I prefer literature to almost every form of anything mathematical." Sticking her tongue out, Io makes a sour face, saying, "Math, ew!"

"Well, I was about to suggest that you two could tear apart the imager on your own, because I'm starving. How about lunch, and we can figure out a plan to deal with these Sentinels of the New Dawn?" Rose suggests.

"Humans, ruled by your stomachs, you lot!" the Doctor says, grinning. Rose and Io are both about to reply hotly, when his own stomach betrays him, its grumble heard throughout the room.

"Humans, eh? Seems more like a living creature problem to me, Doctor. And _you _are definitely living. Come along, man-critter of mine. Let's make our guest lunch like proper hosts." Holding out her hand for him, Rose sees the eye roll and only grins at her absurdly handsome and consummately incorrigible husband, wiggling her fingers until he takes her hand. Pulling her close to his side, he kisses her head. Laughing, they head out of the Infirmary and toward the Kitchen.

Io follows after them, shaking her head at their antics. They're so cute it makes her want to puke! _Nah, _she thinks…smiling to herself.

* * *

**A/N: Sorry, posted from my phone, and that was interesting! I hope you enjoyed this chapter, bit of an apology, bit of baby cuteness. :-) Thank you for the reviews and support. You're all so inspiring! Cheers! :-D**


	22. Time is on My Side

**22 Time is on My Side**

Everyone returns to the Console room after lunch in much better spirits. They had focused on Io's exploration of the TARDIS as the safest topic to discuss while eating.

It seemed the TARDIS likes Io quite a bit, because She had lead her quite the merry chase through the corridors, showing her the sports areas, more than one swimming pool, surprisingly, a weight room, and the Butterfly room—which earned the Doctor a swat from Rose for not taking her yet, and any number of various store rooms all stuffed to capacity with…things—trinkets, knick-knacks, assorted mementos from past trips that even the Doctor wasn't sure why he kept. Io wasn't certain why the TARDIS showed them to her, but she'd been fascinated all the same.

The Doctor immediately moves to the monitor and begins typing furiously into the keyboards as Rose takes them out of the Vortex and places them in orbit around the Earth.

"I'll need to hop around a bit over the past few months. I want to see if there's any change to the number of Leirans the Sentinels have. If you can remember anything else, Io, let us know, "The Doctor tells her as he flicks a lever and the TARDIS begins shaking. She dematerialises in space to rematerialise in the same location above the planet, but eight months previously as the shaking stops.

"Sure thing; but like I said, I only ever saw them that one other time. It was the same place, though; when I was trying to visit my parent's graves."

"Hmmm…strange. Was that day an anniversary this time?" Rose asks her.

"No. In a month it would have been, but I was specifically avoiding the anniversary dates for just this reason," she tells them with a shake of her head.

"And how long were you there before they tried to capture you?" the Doctor asks as the first readings from the TARDIS scans come in. There are more yellow dots.

"Maybe an hour; I lost track of time…," she trails off, a faraway look to her face.

"I can understand that. You've been without them for a long time. You probably had heaps of stuff to share with them," Rose says sympathetically.

Nodding, Io pushes the sadness away, looking around the Console room to keep herself distracted. The warm golden tones of the coral structures seem light and happy enough, but Io thinks it looks a little tired and worn, too. The surface of the Console itself cracked and repaired many times. Some of the instruments were obviously fixed with odd bits that must have been just lying around, and the floors—industrial grating; easily replaceable. All in all, while homey in a way that she thinks is more about the ship being alive than anything else, Io doesn't feel the interior suits Her occupants at all.

Startling her, Io receives a little nudge of agreement from the TARDIS, which is followed by what Io can only call a sigh tinged by sadness. So, the TARDIS thinks it's time for a change, too…interesting. Shrugging to herself, Io continues watching the Time Lords as they move around the console, finishing each other's sentences until they continue in a language Io doesn't know, and begin looking very serious.

The shaking and pausing of the TARDIS' movement happens a few more times; obviously traveling through the months, before the Doctor straightens, running his hands through his hair and stuffing them in his pockets. Walking around to Rose's side of the console, he looks at a few more instruments before returning to the monitor again, followed by Rose, their expressions grim.

"What is it, guys? I can tell you're not happy no matter what language you're using," Io states boldly.

Looking over to her sadly, Rose comes and sits next to her on the jumpseat. "We made nine jumps in the past eight months to see if there was any change to the number of Leirans on the planet…and there were," Rose tells Io.

"What?" Io cries out, leaping to her feet. "What kind of changes? Oh, less…there are less of us aren't there?" she asks in sudden understanding.

Turning his back to the console and leaning against it, the Doctor takes a deep breath before replying. "Yes. Eight months ago there were seven of you, with you still outside Nebraska, so I didn't count you in the number. Then, six months ago there were eight, five months ago seven, four months ago there are eight again, three months ago seven, and two months ago there are five. It has stayed at five, so with you that makes six Leirans in total right now on the planet."

"But I don't understand. How can the numbers keep fluctuating, and why so few now?" Io asks, her brow furrowed, but the dawning horror of potential realisation hovers in her eyes.

"Births," the Doctor says simply, but with crushing sadness. Looking at him, Io sees his eyes, normally a warm chocolate, are now a cold, glittering brown, diamond hard and dark with suppressed anger.

Gasping, Io turns to see tears standing in Rose's eyes at the implication of the dead mothers, new Leiran babies, but then two more deaths…the babies? The horror turns to ice around Io's heart. Whoever these people are, they must be stopped.

"We will get your people out of there, Io—every last one of them. I don't care what the Sentinels are doing; this will end. I'm going to set us down at night as close to the Leirans as I can. Luckily, the Sentinels are using an older building, so the TARDIS has schematics, but they appear to have added in newer sub-basements. You both might want to change. I'm not sure what's coming, but dress for running; that's always a given," he finishes with a tight smile that doesn't reach his eyes.

Going to his side, Rose takes his hand. The Doctor leans down, resting his forehead to hers momentarily before nodding, giving her a quick kiss, and turning back to the console.

Rose walks back to Io, holding out her hand. Taking it, Io doesn't think about being 125 years older than Rose. All she feels is the comfort in knowing she isn't alone in this quest as the two woman head down the hall toward their rooms. It's time to get ready for what promises to be a long, eventful night.

* * *

Deep within an abandoned missile silo in the heart of Nebraska, the TARDIS breathes into existence. From the outside, one of the doors opens slowly, barely showing a glimpse of the darkened interior. Out of the door cautiously steps the Doctor who pauses a moment, feeling out with his senses looking for others in the area. Finding nothing, he opens the door further, gesturing for Rose and Io to join him. Exiting the TARDIS, both girls are dressed in Rose's version of Torchwood's mission fatigues—black, covered in pockets, light all-terrain boots, and a willingness to misbehave.

Rose also has a stunner strapped to her thigh. It took her awhile to persuade the Doctor to make it for her, but once she drew up the schematics, and he realised she'd build it herself if he continued being a prat, he agreed to help her; as long as there was no possibility it was lethal. She'd rolled her eyes at him at the time, but she understood. That's why she'd carried it in the first place, it _was_ non-lethal. She and Pete had changed all the Torchwood agents over to the stunners as the standard issue sidearm by the time she left. Rose hoped that stuck after she was gone.

Io finds nothing unusual with her heightened senses. The place has rats, but what underground facility didn't. All she can smell, other than rodent, is engine grease and electricity. There's another scent beneath everything that she can't place, but she decides to not worry about it at the moment.

Synchronously moving to either side of the open doorway across from the TARDIS, Rose pulls her stunner and nods to Io, gesturing with her head to keep close and behind them. That's fine by her. She'll fight if she has to, when cornered, but her instincts are geared more toward flight. They locked the TARDIS as they were leaving, but both the Doctor and Rose assured Io that if something happened and she changed, to get back to the TARDIS—She'd let Io in, no worries. Io believed them but continued praying that nothing would happen; that this whole little mission would go without a hitch.

In a series of cautious movements, the Doctor and Rose lead them through the tunnels and down several flights of stairs past rusty supports, dripping walls, and empty rooms. The whole place is barely lit, only every third bulb alight in the seemingly endless corridors. Periodically, the Doctor would pull out his sonic, wave it around briefly, then, look at it closely. Sometimes this changed their direction a little, but mostly they headed down.

Io doesn't realise that this careful advance is not the Doctor's usual method. She doesn't know that he would normally waltz in, do his best to talk his way into getting what he wanted, and then, either leaving in triumph—mission accomplished—or running for his life back to the TARDIS, living charges hopefully in tow, with explosions and clean up left behind.

In discussing their options as they'd been flitting back through the months looking for Leiran clues, the Doctor decided that Rose's approach would be safer, and while more time consuming, it would also be more likely to guarantee their safety and the safety of the captured Leirans. Not his style, but neither was dying. He had plans after this, and once the lunatics were taken care of, leisure planet here they come. Maybe they would invite Io to join them.

The inkling of an upcoming vacation is nowhere near the surface of the Doctor's thoughts currently. They've nearly reached their goal, according to the TARDIS' interface with his sonic, but he doesn't like it. This is too easy. This sort of escapade is never this easy, no matter how much he sometimes wishes they would be.

_-This is too easy-_ Rose sends him.

_-I was just thinking that. I don't like how far from the TARDIS we are-_ he replies.

_-Nope. Do you feel like something's about to happen, Doctor?-_

_-A sense of impending doom? Oh, yeah, since we stepped out of the TARDIS-_

_-Hmmmm…impending doom…my favourite-_ Rose replies sarcastically.

She's about to continue in that vein when she thinks she hears voices ahead. Hand up, she stops the three of them, gesturing back to the side passage they just passed. Turning, they scramble back to the dark opening. Scanning it quickly as they enter, Rose can just make out that it's a small room, the open doorway its only entrance. Grimacing at being trapped, she and the Doctor flank the opening, Rose gently gesturing for Io to get behind her. Silently padding to the corner nearest, Io squats down, poised to run if necessary. Nodding her readiness, Rose turns back to keep an ear to the door.

_-Should we risk it with the perception filters?-_ Rose asks, fingering the device around her thumb.

_-I have no idea how sophisticated their tech is. The bio-dampener I added to them is well beyond anything they could have. That will fool any passive scans, we'll show up as rats, but you know how the perception filters work as well as I do-_ he answers her, the doubt caused by not knowing enough about their surroundings tinging his reply.

_-Yeah, I know. I wish your sonic had a silent mode-_

_-Wouldn't be a sonic if it did-_ he replies cheekily.

Sticking her tongue out at him, Rose reaches as far as she can with her Time Lord senses, searching for the voices. Were they moving? If so, in their direction? Were they the prisoners or guards? Not finding anything useful, Rose sighs quietly in frustration. Looking at the Doctor, she shrugs. Mirroring her shrug, he gestures with his head that they should just risk it. Nodding, Rose reaches behind her for Io. Feeling the little hand touch hers briefly, she feels Io stand, ready to move. Stunner up, Rose leads them quickly out the door, and further down the corridor toward the opening that she'd heard the voices through.

Soundlessly, they reach the opening, but it's one of the few with a light directly above it; careful to not let a shadow fall through the doorway, the Doctor reaches up on tiptoe, just touching the bulb with his sonic. With a quick tap of the button, it flickers out. The whispery sounds of muted conversation continue from down the hallway to their left, unconcerned with the light going out—interesting.

Leaning slightly through the door, Rose and then the Doctor quickly scan the next corridor in each direction.

_-Clear-_ the Doctor says of the passage to their right.

_-Clear, but I see a flickering light, down and on the right. I think it might be a telly-_

_-That would explain why it didn't change. It isn't really conversation…well, between _**_real_**_ people, well, living, right here right now people…oi! you know what I mean, and it will help mask our approach-_

_-Yup, it will for them, too; I don't like it-_ Rose states in reply. Her sense of wrongness is battering at her to get out now, fast as possible. Unwilling to leave the Leirans to any more of what the Doctor and she theorised as their continued fates, Rose refuses to give in. Turning briefly to glance at Io, she smiles as reassuringly as possible. Receiving a quick answering nod, Rose looks at the Doctor.

Winking at her, he takes point this time, sonic in hand, ready to short out an energy weapon or jam a projectile based one. He'd preset those key settings before they left the TARDIS so he wouldn't have to search for them later. Flattening himself against the wall opposite the opening, he scans the way they aren't taking first. Seeing no movement and not picking up anything strange, he nods to Rose and scans the direction in which they're heading.

Coming through the door, she immediately turns left and moves stealthily toward the flickering light and the increasing volume of what is definitely a television. It's tech, so that will be the Doctor's problem, hers is keeping them alive and alert to hostiles.

The room with the TV has a large glass window about chest height. Beyond it the door is open. The bulb above this observation area is out, so that's one plus. Crouching down, Rose scoots under the window to the edge of the doorway. Pulling out a small mirror on a rod, she slides it out just passed the edge of the casing—the room is empty. The only thing in it, a television on the floor quietly playing late-night sitcom reruns. What the hell! The alarm bells in her head are going off with renewed intensity.

_-Rose! What is it?-_ the Doctor asks worriedly, having felt her tension ramp up through their bond.

_-Nothing! There's a TV on the floor, otherwise the room is empty.-_

_-Weird…show me - _he requests. Receiving the mental image from Rose, the Doctor can't see anything that immediately alerts him to anything hostile.

_-Maybe the telly is supposed to keep the Leirans quiet…make them think a guard is always here-_ he suggests.

_-Maybe; still not liking any of this-_ Rose replies, gesturing for them to join her.

Pulling Io close, Rose whispers in her ear, "Have you sensed anything? Smell any humans or other Leirans?" Io is about to shake her head in the negative when she abruptly stiffens. Other Leirans! She's never scented other Leirans before, but as that realisation flashes through her mind, so does the scent memory. The underlying odour she'd picked up so faintly earlier had been gradually increasing—now she knows what its is—her people.

Nodding strongly, Io places her lips near Rose's ear and whispers excitedly, "I just remembered the scent of my kind! It increases ahead of us; they must be close!"

Smiling at her, Rose squeezes her shoulder, but gets right back to business.

_-Did you catch that?_- Rose asks the Doctor.

_-Yep! Leirans ahead!-_ The smile in his mental tone evident.

_-Don't you think it's a little weird she hasn't smelled any humans yet? Wouldn't they come down here to at least feed them or something?-_

Rose only receives a worried affirmative. The Doctor uses the sound of the TV to muffle his sonic. Doing a quick figure-eight in the air toward the direction they're heading, he flicks it open to gauge the readings. Frowning, he does it again.

-W_hat is it?_- Rose asks, tensing her hands around her stunner and looking around them at all the shadows.

_-Nothing's different! The readings are exactly the same as the ones I took the last time - _the Doctor replies distractedly, fiddling with the device a moment. Flicking it open this time, he does a slower figure-eight. When he pulls it close to observe the readings, he stiffens.

_-Rose there are at least a hundred humans, slowly converging on us from all sides. The closest are 200 meters away passed the readings that still show the stationary Leirans-_

_-Bollocks! I knew this was too easy. Somehow we've been set-up. We need to get to the Leirans…NOW! Go! We'll follow-_

The Doctor glances back at Rose in surprise at the crispness of her order, eyebrows high, but she's focused on Io and doesn't see the smirk he hides as he turns back to head out toward the Leirans.

Looking behind her, Rose takes Io's hand as soon as it touches hers. Pulling Io to her feet and at a run, they ignore their previous caution, sprinting after the Doctor all the way to the holding cell that contains five ill, filthy, and nearly dead Leirans. They look like they've been ignored for days.

Growling low in his throat, the Doctor immediately goes to work on the lock. It takes longer than he would have expected. Once he's shorted the perception filter on it, he sees there are four levels of security that have to be removed individually—at least it isn't deadlock sealed.

"Rose it has more than one layer of security. We might not have time," he spits out through gritted teeth, finessing the lock with his sonic.

"Just get us in there, Doctor," Rose replies urgently.

Io rushes to the bars, reaching for the nearest Leiran, an older man. He has turned his face toward her, but is too weak to move. The ones who can shift, shuffle toward her or are watching the Doctor and Rose.

"We're here to get you out," Rose tells them confidently. The Doctor glances in her direction. Grinning, he shakes his head. He has no clue how they're going to manage it, but Rose's force of will is magnificent! He thinks he might like it when she gets all bossy.

"Colonel! They've reached the cell!" they hear called out from the far end of the corridor just as the Doctor gets the last of the security off the lock. Ripping it open, he throws Io, Rose, and himself into the cell with the Leirans. Slamming the door shut behind them, he deadlock seals the mechanism, hoping to buy a little time as the booted feet reach the area near the cell door.

"This was your goal? To get locked in with us?" the Doctor and Rose hear one of the Leirans ask sarcastically.

"Shhh…Rose and the Doctor have a plan. I trust them," Io says, her tone filled with faith in the Time Lords.

_-We have a plan?- _the Doctor asks, lounging against one side of the doorframe.

_-Don't we always?_- Rose replies cheekily, leaning against the other, in studied nonchalance.

* * *

**A/N: Happy Friday! I really hope you liked this chapter, but I need to apologise for the bit of a cliffie. I won't be able to update next week at all until I get my internet set up at my next location. Sorry, guys. Two more chapters for Io's story. Thanks for all the encouragement and for liking Io. Have a great weekend! Cheers!**


	23. Breaking Point

**23 Breaking Point**

"Hi, I'm Io," she tells the other Leirans huddled around her. Their eyes are tired, and their skin sallow with dehydration and a lack of food, but they all smile as she shares her name with them.

There is one female among the other males. She introduces herself as Galatea, touching fingertips lightly with Io in greeting. The youngest of the males introduces himself as Tethys, smiling brightly at Io. She blushes at his regard and touch, but manages to nod. Pointing at the other males, Tethys introduces them as Mimas, Dinlas, and Ganymede—the eldest and weakest.

Huddled around Ganymede, Io begins pulling out the bottles of water and nutritional bars from her pockets that Rose had insisted she pack. At the time she'd been amazed at the amount of stuff she could fit into the numerous pockets, and curious as to why they should bring so much; but Rose was adamant that they might need it. The woman seemed to plan for every contingency, going so far as to have snapped an extra pocket to herself that she told Io contained sleeping bags—seriously! When asked, Rose had beamed and replied that the pockets were dimensionally flexible. Grinning, Io had crammed everything she was handed into the magically deep pockets, thanking the TARDIS for being so clever.

Handing out the food and water to her stolen people has them gazing at her if she's more than just another lost girl. With small touches and pats, they thank her as they try not to stuff themselves sick, only sipping the water to remain alert.

Galatea must soak each bite of food to make it soft enough for Ganymede to eat. Even so, he can only manage a couple of bites before refusing more, asking for sips of water instead. The sadness in Galatea's eyes make Io wonder how long the two have been here and if they're mates.

Tethys helps Io distribute the food and water, and also begins utilising the medical bits that they'd brought—cleaning old wounds and treating them with creams and ointments provided by the TARDIS. Since the medications are much more advanced than anything available on the outside, everyone is soon feeling much better. There are deeper wounds to heal here than the cuts and scrapes acquired by close confinement, and Io doesn't want to consider what else.

Throughout the minutes it takes to administer to the five Leirans, Tethys never leaves Io's side. She's worried she'll drop something or accidentally feed Ganymede some antibiotic cream if Tethys continues to be so…so distracting! He's the youngest of the males, but really; she's not a kid anymore. She should be able to control herself around another male; no matter how gorgeous they are. That's what Io keeps telling herself anyway. All the while, she can't help but blush at each small brush of skin on skin, or snatched glance. At one point she even catches herself initiating them!

Her hormonal urges will have to wait. They're in no way out of the woods yet. Still locked in the cell, Rose and the Doctor casually loiter by the door as if awaiting the butler to let them in for tea. The singular sharp and measured footfalls of the approaching commander are maddening in their regularity. Even as she and Tethys are treating their fellows as quickly as possible, the tension continues to mount. The five imprisoned Leirans know exactly who's coming, and they're terrified.

Io gathers all the Leirans as close to each other as possible just like Rose had told her. Once situated, Io squats in front of them protectively. She doesn't know what she can do to help, but whatever's coming will have to go through her first. Contemplating her potential approaching mortality, Io is caught off guard when another small hand slides into hers. Looking first at their joined hands, Io raises her eyes to the bright penny-coloured pair belonging to Tethys. In them she sees his own worry and fear, but also something else; something that makes her heart flutter. This time, he's the one who blushes and looks away with a shy smile. Squeezing her hand, they turn their eyes to the entrance of the cell where the light is finally blocked by an imposing figure.

* * *

"Well, well, what have we here, Baker?" The tall grey-haired and striking individual, asks as he gazes back and forth between Rose and the Doctor unhurriedly. His utterly confident demeanour and ease with command label him as the leader of the humans currently surrounding the little cell.

The target of the inquiry snaps forward, handheld computer levelled at the doorway to the cell, obviously taking readings. Seeing it, the Doctor rolls his eyes and smirks.

"Sir! They have brought the other Leiran female with them, and I believe they are alien as well, though the computer refuses to identify them, Sir!" Taking a quick step back and to the side, Baker flashes a quick glance at the Doctor and Rose wondering what in the hell they are.

"Refuses to identify them…interesting. I was assured it was advanced enough to identify every species…"

Cutting him off, the Doctor crosses his arms over his chest and snorts at the Commander in very much the same way his previous self had observed a certain pompous twit in a bunker in Utah. Rose has to hide her own smirk behind her hand.

"Well, you were misinformed, then. That bit of Chula tech is only from the 28th Century—it's actually a teaching toy, and you won't find us in there-it only contains the species the Chula found...oh, what's a good word here? Ahhh, how about friendly, which translates to conquerable."

"I am Colonel Vargas, you will address me…"

"So, when did the Sentinels of the New Dawn come to America, Colonel? I'm the Doctor and this Rose, by the way; pleasure," he says in a flippant tone, and Rose gives a small wave. "I know about your…_group_ at Cambridge; but you; you're different. Why?" Having interrupted him again, the Doctor can see the jumping muscle in Vargas' jaw. Grinning, he glances at Rose as she goes to Vargas' defense before strolling away into the depths of the lockup.

"Doctor, _please_; give the man a chance to speak. He's obviously used to be followed without question. Please, Colonel Vargas, continue. My husband is unfortunately quite rude this time," Rose says with spread hands and a pleasant smile that never reaches her eyes.

"And not ginger!" the Doctor calls from the back of the cell as he paces around the Leirans, nodding to Io and flashing her a quick smile. She isn't sure what they're up to, but if it involves winding up the Humans, they're doing a brilliant job; the air is filled with the scent of adrenaline, testosterone, and fear-some of it hers. The air of the tiny, dark cell is thick with apprehension. It's almost hard to breath.

Narrowing his eyes at Rose and flicking his attention between her and the Doctor, Vargas considers how to deal with these two; cataloguing their behaviours. They are holding themselves with irritating confidence, as if they know something he doesn't. They are purposefully trying to provoke him. They are attempting a childish version of good cop/bad cop; and they may be aliens as well, though they at least _look_ human.

Rose watches Vargas closely. This isn't going to be the usual over-confident, screws loose maniac; this one's smart. That will make this much trickier.

_- Doctor, this one may be crazy, but he's not unstable-_ she flashes him quickly in warning.

Acknowledging her comment with a brush of reassurance, he paces toward the front of the cell. The patches of light sliding off of him as he moves closer to the front.

"Colonel, my apologies. Let's get right to business then, shall we? You have questions I assume; we should answer yours first. That's only fair, right Rose?" the Doctor asks with mocking condescension.

Rose rolls her eyes at her husband's reply, expecting that the Colonel will now explode and order their immediate execution. Instead, he throws his head back and fills the hallway with the incongruity of his laughter. His men glance around at each other nervously. Rose isn't as worried about them as long as all those grey uniforms stay out there.

Removing his cap, and wiping the tears from his eyes with his grey clothed wrist, Colonel Vargas' eyes twinkle with malevolent merriment. Handing his cap to his aide, the light now touches just a portion of his unusually pale eyes, making them seem to glow.

"Ahhh, you British are such snobbish pricks; even when you're sounding polite you still manage to be condescending bastards. Our own politicians should take lessons. Questions. Yes, Doctor, I have questions." Vargas begins pacing in front of the cell, ticking points off on his fingers, mimicking the Doctor's mocking timbre perfectly.

"So let's play your little game, shall we? I'll ask you some questions; you'll ask me some questions. I'll tell you my evil plan for world domination, we'll threaten each other, you'll be the cleverest man in the room, and then you and your lovely wife will somehow escape with my prisoners; saving the day. Does that sound about right?" Facing the door, his expression is one of easy open conversation. Hands spread, as if to show how harmless he is, Vargas effortlessly mimics the posture of a safe and compassionate man. A man wondering why they can't just get along.

Rose is definitely not liking the way this is going. Vargas has expertly turned the Doctor's tactics around on him. And while the Doctor's mocking smile is still in place, Rose can see that it's now brittle around the edges. Vargas is about to be unpredictable.

Stepping to the bars of the door, the Doctor places himself directly in the line of any fire from Vargas or the soldiers. Rose slides just to his right side and a step back, gesturing behind herself for Io to move the Leirans closer together.

"Ahh, Vargas I knew you would be interesting, but I was really hoping we could talk before the explosions," the Doctor says coldly, any mirth sliding completely from his features and allowing all the alien age and knowledge to fill his eyes.

Feeling the alteration in the atmosphere as the Doctor allows the Oncoming Storm to fill him, the soldiers look around nervously. Not sure what exactly changed, but they don't feel as confident in their overwhelming numbers as they did a few minutes earlier.

"Oh, Doctor, that _is_ interesting. What _are_ you?" Vargas asks in genuine interest, not the least afraid.

"More than you could ever imagine, Vargas." The Doctor stares at him eye to eye, expecting to see doubt, anger, maybe a touch of lunacy in those cold, icy depths. Instead, he sees nothing—they're completely blank and definitely not intimidated. A tiny speck of doubt enters his own mind, and Vargas knows, smiling wider.

"Impressive display. Perhaps, I should do the same." Raising one hand to eye level, "First, the oldest," he says calmly. The Colonel snaps his fingers once, a glint of pure malevolence flashing through his eyes.

On the floor behind them and amidst the Leirans, Ganymede begins seizing—banging his heels and head against the floor. Galatea throws herself over him with a cry, trying stop him from damaging himself.

"Stop! Stop this! What are you doing?" Io screams.

Rose rushes to the Leirans, the Doctor turning away with her, but it lasts only moments before the shaking stops. Blood has pooled in his open eyes and foam runs from his mouth. The stiffness stays, but it is obvious that Ganymede, survivor of 192 Earth years, is dead; laying in his own filth—so close to rescue.

"I'm not sure, Doctor, but I think I may have been more impressive that time. Would you like to try again?" Vargas asks, the smug amusement in his tone quite clear. The next sentence contains only menace. "I'll warn you that I have one of those little charges implanted in all of my _specimens_."

"Normally, I'm a chance offered sort of man, but not today, Vargas; not for you. Your men should leave…**NOW**!" The Doctor roars at him, shaking the stones of the enclosure around them as he begins moving toward the door.

On the other side of the grated door, Private Siels is gripping his gun tightly, still at attention behind his commander's back, but terrified of what he feels coming toward him through the bars. Trembling and instantly overwhelmed by the inhuman bellow issuing from the small room, his automatic rifle suddenly explodes into action, letting off one short, three-round burst before he drops it to the floor like it bit him.

* * *

Inside the cell, Io is clutching Tethys in horror at what just happened to Ganymede. She'd helped Galatea feed him only minutes earlier. He was weak, but now he's gone.

Rose is holding a sobbing Galatea, trying to comfort her, when Io sees her head come up sharply. Gently shifting Galatea to Dinlas, Rose stands beside the huddled Leirans, a small narrow black device abruptly in her hand, as the Doctor begins speaking and stalking toward the cell door.

Beyond him, movement catches Io's attention. Seeing the young Human soldier so effected by everything that's happening may have elicited a sympathetic response normally, but Io is drained of all such kind feelings. Abruptly, she feels like her veins are filled with fire. Pulling free of Tethys' embrace, Io sees the young Private's eyes get wide as the Doctor thunders his reply at Vargas.

For Io, time suddenly slows. Seeing the Private clutch his gun more tightly and turn toward the cell, she begins moving forward. Reaching the Doctor, Io takes him by the arm and pulls him behind herself, exhibiting more strength than even she knew she was capable of. Baring her teeth at Vargas and the inept Private, she places herself directly in the path of the flashing muzzle, catching two of the three bullets.

Slamming into the floor and cracking her head against the pavement, time speeds up for Io once again. She doesn't feel any pain, but she doesn't like the numbness that's spreading up her arms. She's surrounded by shouting, more gunfire, blue, humming, and then there are hands—everywhere.

Blinking in the sudden brightness, Io sees Rose's face swim into view. She's talking, but Io can't hear anything past the pervasive hum in her head. She's warm and loved…that's what the hum is bringing her—love. Io decides she likes the hum.

Realising that she must be dying, Io finds the strength to reach out a hand, glad to see it's taken by Rose, who leans close a worried expression pinching her beautiful features. _Rose is so beautiful,_ Io thinks to herself.

Rose smiles down at her; maybe she didn't just think it—oops. Trying to convey her gratitude, Io babbles on about how glad she is that she met them, how she's sorry she had to go get herself killed, they shouldn't worry about her…just save the others.

Io blinks again, and Rose's face is hovering right over hers; Rose's hands around her face. In her mind, Io clearly hears, _-Io, sweetheart, sleep. Everything will be okay. You're safe now, just sleep-_

Io feels swallowed by the darkness that holds the warm hum. If she's dying, then this is much nicer than anything she'd ever imagined. Letting go, Io drifts away, allowing the darkness to have her completely.

* * *

**A/N: Hello! Many apologies for the necessary break in the story. I'm all set up now, and I've started writing again. We have one more chapter in this segment and then on the second to last. Did I mention earlier that this was a long one? I'm sure I did. :-D Thanks for being so patient, and much gratitude to my friend and Beta Ashlanielle. Cheers!**


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